TOKYO – Japanese convenience store chain Lawson has announced plans to take over newspaper kiosks in a Tokyo subway station, offering a broad range of services, including some geared toward tourists. The outlets, which Lawson touts as convenience stores for subways, will also offer rice balls and sweets that have not previously been available in the trains stations, and will allow Japanese to pay their utility bills on the spot.

To cater to tourists using Tokyo’s subway system, more than 500 items will include English-language labeling, based on past appeal to foreign visitors.

According to news reports, the new stores are being developed with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in mind. “There’s going to be more foreigners coming in, so we want to make sure they get the best service possible,” said an official involved in the new project. “We want to help raise the bar on infrastructure in Tokyo before the Olympics, so we will build these new ‘subway convenience stores.’”

The conversion of 50 kiosks, previously operated by Tokyo Metro and Metro Commerce, to Lawson franchises began this week, with the first new Lawson opening inside Tokyo’s Akihabara Station.