Despite the prolonged economic doldrums in Japan, top-brand handbags, jewelry and others items imported from Europe are selling quite well as manufacturers step up their offensive.

Luxury brand bags and other items remain popular with young women despite Japan's continuing economic slump.

On the peak Christmas shopping holidays of Dec. 23 and 24, customers formed a long line in front of the Louis Vuitton shop, which opened the month before in the Matsuya Co. department store in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district.