Major department stores are beefing up their service for Chinese customers ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday season starting Wednesday, bidding for big-spending tourists to offset the slump in domestic spending.
The Year of the Sheep begins on Thursday, and Chinese visitors are on the rise thanks to a weaker yen and an expansion in the range of items that can be purchased duty-free. Some department stores have been giving sales staff Mandarin lessons or supplying them with tablet computers to aid communication.
The Japan Tourism Agency said the average amount spent per Chinese tourist last year, including accommodation fees and shopping, amounted to ¥231,753, up about 10 percent from the previous year.