TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japanese convenience store chain Lawson denied plans to open stores in Taiwan on Thursday following speculation sparked by its trademark registration but expressed gratitude for the interest from the Taiwanese.

Lawson's public relations department said the company routinely registers trademarks in various countries to protect its intellectual property, regardless of immediate plans for market entry or expansion. It said the Taiwan trademark application was part of this global trademark protection strategy, per CNA.

Lawson began in 1939 in Ohio, where its name and iconic white milk can logo on a blue backdrop were first established. The company later opened its first store in Japan, and its headquarters is now based in Tokyo.

With a strategy of adapting to regional preferences, Lawson is expanding its presence in international markets, primarily focusing on Asia. According to its website, as of the end of February, the chain operates 14,643 stores in Japan, 6,288 in China, 188 in Thailand, 722 in Indonesia, 144 in the Philippines, and two in Hawaii, per LTN.

Lawson has expanded into many Asian countries but has notably skipped Taiwan, with many attributing the cause to Taiwan's high density of convenience stores. Taiwan boasts the world’s second-highest convenience store density, with one store per 1,703 people, and more than 13,000 stores nationwide, trailing only South Korea.