Department store sales rose 0.7 percent in April from a year earlier on a same-store basis, mainly supported by strong demand for seasonal items and spending by foreign visitors, an industry body said Wednesday.
Sales at 220 department stores operated by 80 companies stood at around ¥456.5 billion ($4.1 billion), increasing for the second straight month, according to the Japan Department Stores Association.
Spending by inbound tourists jumped 42.9 percent to a record ¥31.6 billion, breaking the previous record logged in March, it said.
Sales at stores in 10 major cities grew 2.5 percent, while those in other regions declined 3.6 percent, data showed.
Sales of miscellaneous goods, including cosmetics and jewelry, grew 9.2 percent, the association said.