Merlin Entertainments has confirmed that it will open a permanent Madame Tussauds at Decks Tokyo Beach Mall in the Japanese capital in April 2013.

The attraction will open alongside the company's new Legoland Discovery Centre which opens later this year. The decision to open a permanent Madame Tussauds follows the success of a temporary waxwork attraction at the same location.

Russell Barnes, Merlin's divisional director of Midway Developments said: "Our daily customer feedback survey has shown that visitors to the Tokyo attraction, both local and tourists, have obviously loved the experience, and been fascinated by the wax figures of their heroes.

"The new exhibition will take this experience to another level - not just with three or four times as many figures, but with no ropes and barriers, and really immersive sets, visitors will have no problem believing that they really are standing beside, or even 'interacting' with their heroes."

Taro Saito, general manager of Decks Tokyo Beach added: "The temporary attraction drove a huge number of visitors to the mall showing that the combination of high quality retail and leisure is exactly what consumers are looking for." Details:www.merlinentertainments.biz