(Yicai Global) Nov. 21 -- Convenience store operator Seven-Eleven Japan Co. (7-11) will cooperate with Softbank Group Corp. [TYO:998] to introduce a bike-sharing service named Hello Cycling, to challenge the position of Beijing Mobike Technology Co., People's Daily Online reported.

The two parties carried out trial operations at nine 7-11 outlets in Saitama this month, and expand them to 1,000 outlets in the prefecture and other local cities by the end of March in 2019 with roughly 5,000 bikes in circulation.

Customers can use the bicycles after registering a transport card such as Suica, and pay with credit cards at USD0.53 (JPY60) per 15 minutes, which will be adjusted based on location and the type of bike.

Chinese bike sharing company Mobike carried out a trial operation in Japan earlier this year, charging JPY100 (CNY6) for 30 minutes of riding.

7-11 cooperated with Docomo Bike Share in February this year, to roll out about 150 shared bikes in parking spaces of 32 stores in Tokyo, which reportedly led to an increase of 2 percent in consumer flows.