Duty-Free Sales at Dept. Stores in Japan Soar 85.9 Pct in 2024

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)--Duty-free sales at department stores in Japan in 2024 soared 85.9 pct from the previous year, led by sales of jewelry, luxury brand goods and cosmetics amid an increase in inbound visitors and the yen's depreciation, a Japan Department Stores Association report showed Friday.

Duty-free sales totaled 648.7 billion yen, hitting a record high for the second consecutive year. The annual number of shoppers jumped 74.3 pct to 6,037,000, also a record high.

Overall department store sales, including duty-free sales, went up 6.8 pct on a same-store basis, up for the fourth straight year, and totaled 5,772.2 billion yen, exceeding the level for 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. While sales of clothing, jewelry and cosmetics grew, food sales dipped 0.6 pct amid rising prices.

In December alone, overall sales came to 661.6 billion yen, while same-store sales rose 2.8 pct from a year earlier.

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