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Tim Cook visited Tokyo in September 2025 for the reopening of Apple Ginza, Apple’s historic store in the Ginza district. The location originally opened in 2003 as Apple’s first retail store outside the United States. It reopened in redesigned, four-story form on Friday, September 26, 2025, with Cook greeting customers and employees.

What happened at Apple Ginza

Cook’s Tokyo trip was tied to the store’s reopening, rather than being an incidental visit to an unspecified Apple location. Apple previewed the redesigned store before opening day, and Cook appeared there on September 26 as customers gathered outside.

Apple’s account shows Cook welcoming customers, meeting retail employees, posing for a customer selfie and appearing among the crowd outside the store. Contemporary reports and Apple’s photographs described thousands of customers and queues around the reopening. The store opened to the public at 10 a.m. Japan Standard Time.

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There is no evidence in the cited coverage that Cook delivered a formal keynote, personally handled sales or announced a new Apple product at the store. His role was a public reopening appearance and customer-facing visit.

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Why Apple Ginza matters

Apple Ginza first opened in 2003. Apple identifies it as the starting point of its retail presence in Japan and its first store outside the United States. That history made the 2025 event both a store redesign and a highly visible celebration of Apple’s relationship with Japanese customers.

The distinction is important: this was a reopening of a historic location, not the first opening of a new Tokyo store. It was also not Apple Shibuya, Apple Marunouchi or Apple Omotesando; the event centered specifically on Apple Ginza.

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What changed in the redesigned store

Apple described the new Ginza location as a four-story retail space for its products, services and customer experiences. The reopening coverage highlighted product demonstrations, including Apple Vision Pro, along with Today at Apple educational and creative sessions.

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Apple’s materials do not provide a complete floor-by-floor plan, construction cost or detailed architectural comparison with the former store. Those details should not be inferred from the four-story description.

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Number_i brought a local creative focus

Japanese music group Number_i joined Cook for a preview of the store. The group also took part in a special Today at Apple program built around Spatial Audio and spatial video using its song “U.M.A.”

That appearance gave the reopening a distinctly Japanese cultural element, but the available sources describe a Today at Apple session—not a new hardware launch or a broad commercial partnership between Apple and Number_i.

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The timeline of Cook’s visit

  • September 23, 2025: Apple published its preview of Cook with Number_i and the redesigned store.
  • September 24: Contemporary reporting covered Cook’s arrival in Tokyo ahead of the reopening.
  • September 26: Apple Ginza reopened at 10 a.m. JST, with Cook greeting customers and employees.

Japan Times and AppleInsider described the 2025 trip as Cook’s first visit to Japan since 2022. That wording should not be confused with “his first-ever visit to Japan.” AppleInsider also reported that Cook had visited Apple Ginza during a December 2019 Japan trip.

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What the visit signals about Apple in Japan

The strongest conclusion is about presence and continuity. Apple used its chief executive, its oldest overseas retail location and Japanese creative programming to emphasize the company’s long-standing connection with the market. Apple said it had more than 4,000 team members operating in Japan at the time of the reopening announcement.

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The available announcements do not establish a new Japanese investment, manufacturing agreement, retail-expansion plan or government initiative. The event is best understood as a landmark retail reopening and brand occasion, not a separately announced change in Apple’s Japan strategy.

For readers planning a visit

Apple Ginza’s current opening hours, services and event schedule can change after the 2025 reopening. Check the official Apple Ginza page before traveling. Current Today at Apple sessions are listed at apple.com/jp/today; the Number_i session was tied to the 2025 event and should not be assumed to be ongoing.

For current product availability and pricing, use Apple Japan’s live pages for iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple Vision Pro. Support or repair appointments should be checked through Apple Support Japan.

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