Department store sales in Tokyo slipped 3.7 percent in August from a year earlier, reflecting unseasonably low temperatures and weaker corporate demand, the Japan Department Stores Association said Tuesday.
The 28 department stores operated by 13 companies in Tokyo's 23 wards posted sales totaling 132.27 billion yen. It was the 21st consecutive month of decline, the association said.
Sales of clothing, department stores' largest commodity sector, slid 3.1 percent to 42.92 billion yen, marking the 11th consecutive year-on-year decline.
Clearance sales increased consumer demand for clothing, but the segment eventually ended the month with lower sales because cool temperatures weakened demand for summer wear.
Sales of sundries, such as cosmetics and stationery, totaled 23.35 billion yen, down 2.4 percent for the 17th consecutive month of decline. Sales of foods fell 2.4 percent to 28.99 billion yen, extending their falling streak to six months. Sales of household goods, including furniture and electric appliances, tumbled 7.9 percent to 11.49 billion yen.
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