New York-style steakhouses are now looking at Japan for expansion

The reasons are myriad, ranging from restrictions on US beef imports to Japan's economic recovery, as well as anticipation of the 2020 Olympics

America is in the midst of an increasingly intense love affair with Japanese beef. Witness Don Wagyu, the new shop in downtown New York devoted exclusively to Japanese beef sandwiches that start at $28. The counter sells around 150 a day, including an average of eight $180 Ozaki “sandos.”

But while Japanese diners have enthusiastically embraced Shake Shack, which has grown to nine locations since the first opened in 2015, American steakhouses have been slower to establish themselves. Chains such as Ruth Chris have been in Japan for over a decade; but the New York-style experience, with pricier cuts of meat