Local News

The Japan Department Stores Association released figures for the sales of Fukuoka City department stores for March omitting those of the new Hakata Hankyu at the JR Hakata Station building. Sales for those three stores totaled 16.680 billion yen, a 12.9% drop from the year-before period, and the 32nd consecutive year-on-year decline. Adding the figures for Hakata Hankyu results in a 17.4% increase, however. Meanwhile, total March sales for the 19 Kyushu and Okinawa Prefecture department stores outside of Fukuoka City fell 5.3% from the previous year to 27.351 billion yen, the 43rd straight monthly decline.