McDONALDS WILL EXPAND TO JAPAN - McDonald's Corp. restaurant chain is expanding to Japan in its second overseas move, Fred L. Turner, president, has announced.  Turner said McDonald's, in a joint venture company with two Tokyo firms, will open its first Japanese outlets in the greater Tokyo area.  McDonald's previously entered into a joint venture in the Netherlands for its initial entry into Europe.

"The potential in the Japanese market is tremendous because of the increasing popularity of fast food restaurants in Japan during the past few years," Turner said.

Tokyo companies involved in the development are Daiichiya baking Co. and Fujita & Co., Lt.  Each of the Tokyo firms will hold a 25 per cent interest in the joint venture with McDonald's retaining 50 per cent.  Turner said that the initial Japanese restaurants will be owned and operated by the new company.  Later plans call for licensing independent operators in other sections of Japan and Okinawa.  The menu will feature McDonald's pure-beef hamburgers and other fast foods.

McDonald's has more than 1,600 outlets in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Costa Rica.  Since its founding in 1955, it has served seven billion hamburgers and currently is selling hamburgers at a rate of four million a day.

McDONALDS TELLS OF RECORD SALES - McDonald's Corp., Chicago-based national restaurant chin, announced record earnings and sales for 1970 and the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31.  Net earnings for the year were up 35 per cent to $17,691,000, compared with $13,093,000 for 1969.  Fourth quarter net earnings were $3,957,000, up 31 per cent over the $3,016,000 for the same period of 1969.

Reported 1970 sales for all licensed and company-owned outlets totaled $587,041,000, an increase of 30 per cent over 1969 sales of $450,825,000.  Fourth-quarter sales were $160,281,000, up from $122,295,000 for the 1969 period.  McDonald's had 1,592 restaurants in operation at year-end, including a record 297 opened during the year.

A new restaurant operated by John Dasher, was opened at 132 South Duff Ave., in ames at the end of February.  Dasher described opening-period business as "excellent."

Ronald McDonald holds the ribbon while Mayor Stuart Smith operates the scissors at the ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the Ames Chamber of Commerce.  The watchers include Paul Nelson, Ed Lewis, Marv Walters, John and Linda Dasher, Terry Adams and Art Skeie.  If you can help identify additional spectators, please notify the Ames Historical Society.

McDONALDS IN NEW FORMAT HERE - The business scene in Ames has received an esthetic touch with the opening of another in the nation-wide chain of McDonald's Hamburger Restaurant at South Duff Ave.  The restaurant, which employs 50 people, has received a good reception by the people of Ames, according to John Jonson, field consultant for McDonald's midwest region.  John Dasher, owner of Mr. Steak in Ames, is the licensed owner of the new McDonald's.

Johnson explained the new style building which houses the restaurant is a complete revamping from the old red and white tile buildings inaugurated when McDonald's opened in 1955.  The brick structure, Johnson explained, is "more esthetically pleasing to people" and even zoning boards.  With increases in business, the new design provides for more room.

The change in buildings began about two years ago, Johnson said.  Dubuque opened the first new building in Iowa in November.  Johnson further explained the McDonald's viewpoint: "We met a demand... we felt we could raise our image by revamping."

While still a carry-out restaurant, McDonald's is now an open building not separated by glass with only a counter space in between, Johnson said.  Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday and Saturday, McDonald's still features the menu which made the company famous.  The parking lot can hold 60 cars.

McDonald's now boasts almost 1,700 restaurants in the country and soon will have sold eight billion hamburgers, Johnson said.

In a somewhat unusual move, one restaurant owner welcomed a competitor into business here this week.  When John Dasher's McDonald's opened Thursday, Al Hildebrand, manager of the Ramada Inn, used the display sign in front of his place to call attention to the event.