TOKYO, May 7, 2009 (Asia In Focus via COMTEX) -- Sales at five major Japanese department store operators declined 9.5 per cent to 14 per cent on the year in April as demand continued to languish for clothing and big-ticket items, according to preliminary figures they released Friday. Women's and men's apparel demand sagged, with ISETAN CO.'s Shinjuku Main Store seeing women's wear tumble 17.3 per cent.
* The drop was 11 per cent at DAIMARU INC.'s six major stores.
* MITSUKOSHI LTD.'s Nihonbashi Main Store drew roughly as many customers as a year earlier, but the number of items purchased did not increase as expected, failing to stop the sales skid.
