FamilyMart Co Ltd and UNY Group Holdings Co Ltd merged on Thursday, creating Japan's second-largest convenience store chain.

FamilyMart, Japan's No. 3 convenience store chain, and UNY, the owner of fourth-ranked Circle K Sunkus, agreed last October on a merger which will see around 6,250 Circle K Sunkus stores renamed as FamilyMart, Sankei Shimbun reported.

The merged company, called FamilyMart Uny, will operate about 17,000 convenience stores in Japan. 7-Eleven Japan is the industry leader with 18,572 stores. Lawson is third with 12,995 stores in Japan.

FamilyMart Uny will also operate supermarkets.

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