日本麥當奴對業務前景有信心

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:
ハンバーガーチェーン最大手の「日本マクドナルドホールディングス」の去年１年間の決算は、採算の取れない店舗を閉店する一方で、客足が見込める場所に大型店を出店するなどして集客力を高めたことから、株式を上場して以来、最高の利益となりました。
日本マクドナルドホールディングスが発表した去年１２月期の決算によりますと、チェーン全体の去年１年間の売り上げは、前の期を１．４％下回ったものの、本業のもうけを示す営業利益は２８１億円と０．２％増え、平成１３年に株式を上場して以来最も多くなりました。
これは、採算の取れない店舗を閉店する一方で、郊外の幹線道路沿いなど客足が見込める場所に大型店を出店するなどして集客力を高めたためです。
さらに、去年の秋以降に期間限定の商品を相次いで投入し、夏の節電対策の影響による来客数の落ち込みを補ったことも利益につながったとしています。
記者会見した原田泳幸社長は「ヨーロッパの信用不安や歴史的な円高など消費にマイナスの影響を与える要因が限りなくあるが、集客力の高い店舗作りや新しいメニューを開発し、さらに利益を伸ばしていきたい」と述べました。
(試譯文)
With regards to the "Japan McDonald Co. Holdings" the major hamburger chain company, while there were closed stores which could not take in profit, large stores were opened at the locations which could expect customers, this had raised the profit in the finalized accounts; and last year the company had the highest profits since it was listed in the stock market.
According to the announced settled accounts of Japan McDonald Holdings for the period ending December last year, although the sales for the year were less than that of the last period by 1.4%, the operating profit from basic business showed an increase of 0.2% at 28,100 million yen; last year was the highest increase for the whole chain since the stocks were listed in the 13th year of Heisei.
While the closed stores could not contribute to the calculation, because of the opening of large stores at locations that could expect customers, such as along the main roads in the suburbs, it had the benefit of attracting large number of consumers.
Furthermore, last year with the arrival of the winter, goods with limited time offer were successively thrown in, this compensated the supposedly decrease in the number of visitors due to the influence of the power saving measures in summer; all these had connection with profits.
President Harada who gave the interview with the press said, "as long as there are no more factors that have negative influence on consumption, such as the worry about Europe's credit, the strong yen at the historical level etc., I would like to open shops that have larger number of customers and to develop new menus; further expansion in profit is hoped."

It seems that the McDonald in Japan is confident about their business in the future.