TOKYO -- Sales at three out of five major Japanese department store operators grew in July thanks to spending by foreign tourists and affluent consumers, although some took hits from earlier-than-usual discounts at the end of June.
Existing-store sales climbed for the month at H2O Retailing's Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings' core unit and J. Front Retailing's Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores. But turnover slipped at Takashimaya and Seven & i Holdings' Sogo & Seibu.
