Retail sales rose 0.6 percent in July from the prior year to 11.12 trillion yen for the fifth straight monthly rise, aided by continued oil price hikes and brisk sales of men's clothing, the government said Tuesday.
The five-month retail sales expansion period is the longest since a seven-month stretch between September 1996 and March 1997, reflecting a modest recovery in retail sales, an official at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said.
Retail sales of fuel, including gasoline and diesel oil, increased 6.3 percent on continued crude oil price rises.
Clothing and accessories sales rose 3.1 percent amid the government's summer "Cool Biz" casual-dress campaign, METI said in a preliminary report.
But sales of machinery equipment, including air conditioners, refrigerators and flat-panel televisions, fell 9.4 percent from the corresponding month last year, when demand for the items soared due to scorching weather and ahead of the Athens Olympics.
Sales by wholesalers fell 0.1 percent to 33.84 trillion yen, for the first drop in 14 months, a turnaround from solid results a year before.