The Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry announced that sales at department stores and supermarkets in the prefecture in April fell below the previous year for the first time in four months.

According to the announcement, sales at department stores and supermarkets in the prefecture in April were 33.371 billion yen. This is down 1.5% from the same month last year, and is the first time in four months that sales have fallen below the previous year’s figure.

In department stores, sales of spring clothing were sluggish due to the many rainy and cloudy days in April. In supermarkets, sales of beef and pork were sluggish due to high prices.

Real wages, which reflect price fluctuations, were down for the 25th consecutive month in April, and the Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry has stated that “further analysis is needed to determine whether this will lead to a slump in personal consumption.”

Shinichi Sanekuni, Director General, Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry
“From next month onwards, we will be able to see clearly whether or not the economy is actually declining, depending on trends in personal consumption.”

Regarding private consumption, the Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry has maintained its assessment that “the recovery appears to be stalling.”