It's no surprise that retailers are hurting amid the economic downturn and deflation. What is shocking, however, is that one of them is Shibuya 109, one of Tokyo's most popular fashion complexes.
In fiscal 2009 the commercial icon experienced a year-on-year decrease in sales for the first time in 14 years.
"The biggest factor is probably the weak consumer confidence," Kunio Soma, Shibuya 109's general manager, said in an interview with The Japan Times last month.