Major department stores launched aggressive end-of-year sales campaigns Friday to somehow beat deflation and the recession and sustain good business into the New Year's holidays.

For five days from Friday, Sogo & Seibu Co., a department store operator under Seven & I Holdings Co., will hand out ¥250 coupons in exchange for ¥5,000 worth of purchases of food and other products. The company used a similar sales tactic earlier this month, offering ¥500 coupons for clothing purchases.

"(At that time) many customers came back to our stores to buy our products with their coupons," a Sogo & Seibu official said. Thus, the company reintroduced the coupons in less than a month.