The Japan Department Stores Association announced a summary of nationwide department store sales for September. Total sales reached ¥444.3 billion. Adjusted for the number of stores, sales increased 2.8% year-on-year, marking the second consecutive month of growth. The three-month moving average for July-September, adjusted for special factors such as sales schedule fluctuations and holiday increases and decreases, fell to 0.6% from 2.2% in June-August. However, the momentum from the strong summer sales season continues.
Two typhoons hit in early and mid-September, and the weather continued to be unstable, with significant temperature fluctuations, slightly impacting store traffic. Nevertheless, customer purchasing enthusiasm remained strong, with strong sales of core fall apparel (apparel: up 3.2%) and accessories such as shoes and bags (personal items: up 5.2%). Fashion-related products drove overall sales. Jewelry and luxury watches (art, jewelry, and precious metals: up 6.3%) continue to perform well, while food sales (up 1.9%) also grew steadily, driven by the traditional regional product fairs held at this time of year. Following the summer sales season, the fall/winter sales season is off to a good start.
By region, the overall market was driven by large cities (up 4.3%), where the effects of expansions and renovations were evident. Osaka (up 8.3%), Sendai (up 6.8%), Sapporo (up 5.5%), and Yokohama (up 5.2%) were particularly active. By product category, household goods saw a decline for the first time in two months, but most other items recorded positive growth in a balanced manner. Miscellaneous goods, which have been increasing for 11 consecutive months, as well as clothing and personal items, saw positive growth. Food sales also increased for the second consecutive month. Dining and coffee shops, which are seeing increased demand for eating out, also saw a strong growth of 2.9%. Art, jewelry, and precious metals continue to perform well, with growth for the 13th consecutive month, and cosmetics for the 7th consecutive month.
The number of foreign visitors to Japan also continues to expand. The number of visitors from Southeast Asia continues to grow as in the previous month, and visitors from Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and other countries are also on the rise. The number of visitors from China, which fell sharply last year due to the Senkaku Islands issue, has also seen a significant increase in reaction to that. In September, sales increased 113.7% and the number of visitors increased 106.2%, both doubling their growth rate.
Two typhoons hit in early and mid-September, and the weather continued to be unstable, with significant temperature fluctuations, slightly impacting store traffic. Nevertheless, customer purchasing enthusiasm remained strong, with strong sales of core fall apparel (apparel: up 3.2%) and accessories such as shoes and bags (personal items: up 5.2%). Fashion-related products drove overall sales. Jewelry and luxury watches (art, jewelry, and precious metals: up 6.3%) continue to perform well, while food sales (up 1.9%) also grew steadily, driven by the traditional regional product fairs held at this time of year. Following the summer sales season, the fall/winter sales season is off to a good start.
By region, the overall market was driven by large cities (up 4.3%), where the effects of expansions and renovations were evident. Osaka (up 8.3%), Sendai (up 6.8%), Sapporo (up 5.5%), and Yokohama (up 5.2%) were particularly active. By product category, household goods saw a decline for the first time in two months, but most other items recorded positive growth in a balanced manner. Miscellaneous goods, which have been increasing for 11 consecutive months, as well as clothing and personal items, saw positive growth. Food sales also increased for the second consecutive month. Dining and coffee shops, which are seeing increased demand for eating out, also saw a strong growth of 2.9%. Art, jewelry, and precious metals continue to perform well, with growth for the 13th consecutive month, and cosmetics for the 7th consecutive month.
The number of foreign visitors to Japan also continues to expand. The number of visitors from Southeast Asia continues to grow as in the previous month, and visitors from Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and other countries are also on the rise. The number of visitors from China, which fell sharply last year due to the Senkaku Islands issue, has also seen a significant increase in reaction to that. In September, sales increased 113.7% and the number of visitors increased 106.2%, both doubling their growth rate.
