Sales at supermarkets and department stores around Japan posted a year-on-year rise in October for the first time in more than a year due mainly to favorable weather.

Industry data released Tuesday showed that supermarket sales rose 0.6 percent on a same-store basis to 1.22 trillion yen, the first rise in 16 months. Same store sales at department stores rose 0.2 percent to 675.73 billion yen, up for the first time in 19 months.

The preliminary statistics were released by the Japan Chain Stores Association on 102 supermarket operators that run a combined 9,002 outlets nationwide, and by the Japan Department Stores Association covering 288 outlets run by 96 companies.

The two associations said October sales of seasonal goods such as autumn clothing were favorable due to temperature falls. Sales campaigns also helped lift sales.

According to the chain stores association, supermarket sales increased 0.1 percent to 671.79 billion yen for food, which accounted for 55.3 percent of overall sales.

Clothing was up 9.8 percent to 188.31 billion yen. But household products such as furniture and appliances declined 1.3 percent to 261.82 billion yen.

The department stores association said sales of clothing, which accounted for 44.9 percent of overall sales, rose 1.6 percent to 303.23 billion yen and those of personal goods gained 2 percent to 82.96 billion yen, but food fell 0.2 percent to 131.96 billion yen.

Appliance sales up

Sales at major electric appliance retailers in Japan rose 3 percent in October from a year earlier to 162.13 billion yen, up for the third consecutive month.

The Nippon Electric Big-Store Association said Tuesday the increase was mainly due to strong sales of liquid crystal panel TVs and plasma display TVs capable of receiving terrestrial digital broadcasting programs. Such services will be launched Monday in the Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka metropolitan areas.