Japan’s department store sales fall 1.2pc

Japan’s department store sales fell 1.2 percent in June on a same-store basis from a year earlier, down for the second consecutive month amid unfavourable weather, an industry body said on Thursday.

Before adjustment for number of stores, sales totalled JPY482.9 billion (USD6.19b) at 249 stores run by 86 companies, the Japan Department Stores Association said, adding that unusually cool weather put a damper on sales of summer clothing.