Sales at department stores in Tokyo's 23 wards dropped 0.9 percent in 2000 from the previous year to 2.176 trillion yen, the Japan Department Stores Association said Tuesday.
The figure appears to corroborate the frail state of personal consumption, which accounts for 60 percent of Japan's gross domestic product.
Sales of clothing -- the biggest component of overall sales at department stores -- fell 2.3 percent to 820.84 billion yen, the association said.
Sales of women's clothing inched down 0.1 percent to 518.83 billion yen, while those of men's clothing fell 6.5 percent to 183.51 billion yen, it said.
Sales of household items, such as household electrical appliances and furniture, dipped 0.4 percent to 332.39 billion yen.
However, sales of food -- the second largest component of department stores' sales -- edged up 0.4 percent to 462.92 billion yen, it said.
Sales of nonapparel personal goods such as handbags and shoes also rose 2.4 percent to 239.07 billion yen.
In December alone, sales at the 29 outlets edged up 0.5 percent from the same month the previous year to 257.7 billion yen for the second consecutive monthly gain.
The sales figure is based on receipts at 29 outlets of 15 department stores in Tokyo and is adjusted for changes in the number of outlets from the preceding year, the association said.