Japan Dept. Stores: Ideas Later.

Japan dept. stores see record duty-free sales, shoppers in Sept.

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Department stores in Japan posted record September duty-free sales and shopper numbers, driven by an increase in inbound tourists and a weaker yen, industry data showed Friday.

Duty-free sales in the reporting month jumped 25.3 percent from a year to around 49.64 billion yen ($316 million), up for the seventh straight month, while the number of tax-free shoppers grew 5.9 percent to roughly 491,000, the first increase in two months, according to the Japan Department Stores Association.

The growth came as visitors from countries and territories including South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong rose thanks to public holidays as well as the yen's depreciation, the association said.

Average spending per customer climbed 18.3 percent from a year earlier to around 101,000 yen, the data showed.

Meanwhile, the number of customers from China dropped roughly 15 percent amid a lingering diplomatic rift, but their purchases increased around 7 percent.

Japan-China relations have been strained since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said last November in parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" prompting a response by the Self-Defense Forces in support of the United States. Angered by the remarks, Beijing advised its citizens not to travel to Japan.

Excluding duty-free sales, domestic department store sales climbed 2.1 percent in September, rising for the third straight month, partly supported by strong autumn clothing sales as temperatures fell earlier than usual and a long holiday season boosted shopping demand, the association said.

Overall sales at 169 stores operated by 68 companies rose 4.2 percent from a year before to 443.42 billion yen, marking the ninth consecutive month of year-on-year growth.

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20261023/p2g/00m/0bu/057000c