2013, sales in comparable Japanese department stores showed an increase of 2.7% on a year-on-year basis, to $ 4.4 billion, Rapaport reported citing statistics from the Japan Department Stores Association. Sales growth was recorded for the first time in two months.
The most significant growth in product categories fell on art products, jewelry and precious metals, whose sales increased in August by 18.3% to $ 231 million (22.8 billion Japanese yen).
The monthly report says that Japan's heat wave was prolonged, which ensured the growth of retail sales - consumers were looking for light clothing and accessories, including interest in luxury brands. The weakening of the yen in August attracted more foreign tourists to Japan, especially among Hong Kong and South Korean citizens.