Japan specialty stores log record sales on foreign tourist spending

Visitors attracted by weak yen open wallets for wide range of goods

20240806N Uniqlo

Companies like Uniqlo are stocking more products intended for foreign tourists. (Photo by Junya Hemmi)

KENTO HIRASHIMA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Sales at Japan's specialty stores in fiscal 2023 reached a record high of 27.24 trillion yen ($188 billion), up 5.2% from the previous year, as the weak yen lifted foreign tourist demand for jewelry, clothing and other goods.

Visitors to Japan purchased high-priced items and souvenirs, lifting industries like jewelry, up 15.7% on the year; drugstores and pharmaceuticals, up 8.1%; and watches and glasses, up 7.2%. Nikkei used survey results to compile the sales data of 313 specialty store companies with comparable data from fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2023.

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