Costco is a wholesale food chain from the U.S. It opened its first store in Japan in 1999. It has become very popular because it has a lot of good products and products that you can’t buy elsewhere in Japan. The products are usually cheaper because it’s a wholesaler. You have to buy a lot each time. You also have to be a member. Some people don’t want to buy a lot and don’t want to pay the membership fee. Now, there is a new kind of mini-Costco store. They sell products in small amounts, and the stores are usually in convenient places. You have to pay more than at a regular Costco store, but people don’t seem to mind. They just want to get good Costco products.   (128 words)