Wal-Mart’s Japanese unit on Tuesday said it expected to post its sixth consecutive annual net loss but the US retail group pledged to remain in the country in spite of its troubles.

The company counts on overseas operations for an increasing share of its profits but Seiyu, the Japanese business, has proved difficult to turn round since Wal-Mart first bought a stake in 2002. Losses in Germany and South Korea prompted Wal-Mart to pull out of those markets last year.