Friday, May 29, 2026
0850 JST (2350 GMT/1950 EDT Thursday, May 28) The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry releases April retail sales.
Mace News median: +1.7% y/y (range: +0.2% to +3.1%) vs. Mar. revised to +1.4% from +1.7%; +1.3% m/m (range: -0.7% to +2.2%) vs. Mar. revised to +1.0% from 1.3%
By Chikafumi Hodo
TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japanese retail sales are expected to rise for a second consecutive month on the year in April, maintaining momentum from the previous month amid strong automobile and department store sales, as well as continued solid demand for drugs and cosmetics.
Retail sales are expected to rise 1.7% from a year earlier in April after a revised 1.4% gain in March from the initial 1.7% increase. On a month-over-month basis, sales are seen rising 1.3% compared with a revised 1.0% gain in March from the original 1.3% increase.
Sales at major domestic department stores increased in April, while auto sales are also expected to grow as new passenger car registrations accelerated during the month. Meanwhile, fuel sales are seen declining, weighed down by lower gasoline prices due to government subsidies aimed at capping fuel costs amid elevated energy prices stemming from military tensions in the Middle East.
In the survey released in late April, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry maintained its assessment after upgrading it the previous month, saying retail sales were “on a gradual uptrend.”