Sales at department stores in Tokyo slipped 1.4 percent in January from a year earlier to 167.3 billion yen, marking the 14th consecutive month of decline, an industry body said Friday.
In December, sales at 28 stores run by 13 department store operators in Tokyo's 23 wards narrowed fell 5.3 percent from the previous month, the Japan Department Stores Association said.
The association blamed the January decline mainly on the persistent slump in demand from the corporate sector.
Sales of clothing, the largest merchandise category, fell 0.9 percent to 74.9 billion yen, while food sales, the second-largest category, rose 0.9 percent to 29.34 billion yen.
Sales of sundry goods dropped 2.6 percent to 23.82 billion yen.
Sales of personal goods, including accessories and footwear, fell 1.3 percent to 19.62 billion yen, and those of household goods, including furniture and electrical appliances, fell 7 percent to 11.19 billion yen.