Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

The Japan Department Stores Association reported that same-store sales at department stores throughout Japan (81 firms, 234 stores) decreased by 1.2% in January compared to the same month of last year to 520,912 million yen, thus decreasing for eleven consecutive months.

Inbound sales (4.2% share) climbed 24.8% to 21.7 billion yen (an all-time high for a single month) as foreign shoppers increased by 31% thanks to the Chinese New Year. Meanwhile, sales to Japanese shoppers (95.8% share) decreased by 2.1%, thus decreasing for the sixth straight month.

Sales of apparel decreased by 2.7% to 192,948 million yen, down for the fifteenth straight month: men’s wear, 42,723 million yen (down 0.1%); women’s wear, 124,845 million yen (down 3.3%); and children’s wear, 13,308 million yen (down 2.9%). Apparel sales got off to a good start in January, but lost vigor in the middle of the month due to weather factors.

According to the Japan Chain Stores Association (57 firms, 9,481 stores), January same-store sales decreased by 1.6% from the year before to 1,106,397 million yen.

Affected by unseasonable weather, apparel sales dropped 9.1% to 96,486 million yen: men’s wear, 21,023 million yen (down 9.6%); women’s wear, 28,246 million yen (down 9.2%); and other garments, 47,216 million yen (down 8.9%).

By daisen