South Korea's Hyundai Motor says it will team up with a bookstore and lifestyle chain operator to open a car-sharing business in Japan.

Culture Convenience Club operates the Tsutaya bookstore chain. The company aims to help the automaker promote zero-emission vehicle sharing.

Hyundai's sharing service will be available at some book shops and co-working spaces.

Culture Convenience Club will also use its database on more than 120 million customers to help spread the use of such vehicles.

Hyundai President and CEO Chang Jae-hoon said the Japanese market is important and that clean mobility is a way to help bring a more environmentally friendly future.

Hyundai withdrew from Japan in 2009 but re-entered the market last year. It has since been selling electric SUVs among other models.

Other global automakers are also putting more emphasis on the Japanese EV market. China's BYD started sales of an electric model here in January.

Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi have also expanded their lineups.

Japanese automakers began full-fledged EV sales last year. But the number of models is limited.