Sales at Japan’s department stores rose for the 30th straight month in August. The gain was helped by record tourist demand for tax-free goods even as the yen strengthened against the dollar.
The Japan Department Stores Association says sales climbed more than 3.9 percent year-on-year to exceed 400 billion yen, or about 2.8 billion dollars.
Customers spent more on jewelry, while the long spell of hot weather drove up sales of summer clothes.
Duty-free sales jumped 45 percent to more than 46 billion yen, or 320 million dollars. That was the highest for August since records began in 2014.
The association says inbound tourists seemed unconcerned by the yen’s recent appreciation.
Japan’s currency traded at the 160-yen-level against the dollar in July, but strengthened to the 140-yen-level last month.
An association official says foreign visitors have continued to open their wallets amid the shift in exchange rates. The official says the association expects this trend to continue even if the yen makes additional gains.