| Circle K Sunkus Co., Ltd | |
| Native Name: | 株式会社サークルKサンクス |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Romanized Name: | Kabushiki gaisha Sākuru Kei Sankusu |
| Type: | Subsidiary |
| Defunct: | September 1, 2016 |
| Fate: | The FamilyMart Co., Ltd was merged with UNY Co., Ltd to create Family Mart UNY Holdings Co., Ltd, which means all Circle K and Sunkus' stores were operated as FamilyMart. |
| Successor: | FamilyMart |
| Foundation: | Tokyo, Japan (2004) |
| Location: | 20-1 Shiohama 2, Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan |
| Key People: | Motohiko Nakamura, President |
| Industry: | Retail (Convenience stores) |
| Num Employees: | 1,759 (2010) |
| Parent: | UNY Co., Ltd. |
| Revenue: | - |
was a chain of company-operated and franchised convenience stores in Japan. The company is a division of UNY Co., Ltd., which licensed the Circle K name from Alimentation Couche-Tard, a Canadian convenience store company that owns the Circle K brand.
At the typical Japanese convenience store, goods such as magazines, manga, soft drinks, contraceptives, onigiri, and bento are available.
As of September 1, 2016, due to Circle K Sunkus’ acquisition and absorption by FamilyMart, all Circle K Sunkus stores have been rebranded as FamilyMart stores as a result of the FamilyMart Co. and Uny Group Holdings Co. merger.[1]
The first Circle K store in Japan opened on March 15, 1980, in Tenpaku-ku, Nagoya.
The first Sunkus store opened in Aoba-ku, Sendai, on July 23, 1980. The Sunkus chain expanded to Tokyo in 1981, Hokkaido in 1982, Osaka in 1989 and Nagoya in 1992.
Sunkus and Circle K Japan formed an equity and business alliance in October 1998.
The franchiser, Sunkus & Associates Inc., officially merged with Circle K Japan Co., Ltd., as of the September 1, 2004, fiscal year and was known officially as Circle K Sunkus Co., Ltd (株式会社サークルKサンクス). The two brands remained separate — convenience stores owned by the company had either a Sunkus sign or a Circle K sign.
The word "Sunkus" is a combination of the words "Sun" and the word "Thanks",[2] The logo is a combination of the words "Sun", "Kids", and "Us".