— METI Official: Data Embargoed on New Internal Computer System
— METI Official: May Be Due To Human Error But Cannot Confirm Yet
By Max Sato
(MaceNews) – Japanese retail sales rose modestly, posting the third straight year-on-year rise in December, when consumers appeared to have braved the early stage of the Omicron storm during the year-end gift-giving and shopping season, data released Monday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed.
The METI was scheduled to release preliminary retail sales data for December and the whole of 2021 at 0850 JST Monday (1850 EST Sunday), but the summary of the data had already been posted hours earlier with the date “January 31, 2022.”
“We had set a timer on our computer system for release at 08:50,” a senior METI official told Mace News. Asked whether it was caused by a human error, she said, “It may be so, but we cannot confirm at this point. We switched our systems in January.”
The key points from the METI’s Current Survey of Commerce:
- Japanese retail sales rose a preliminary 1.4% on the year last month after rising 1.9% in November and 0.9% in October and falling 0.5% in September. It was weaker than the median economist forecast of a 2.7% rise.
- On the month, retail sales fell 1.0% on a seasonally adjusted basis in December, marking the fourth monthly rise in a row after increases of 1.3% (revised from an initial 1.2% rise) in November, 1.0% in October and 2.8% in September.
- Retail sales rebounded 1.9% in 2021 after falling 3.2% in 2020 and edging up 0.1% in 2019.
- The Ministry maintained its view that retail sales are “showing signs of a pickup.” It was upgraded last month from its previous statement that sales were “flat.”
- * Industry data released last week showed department store sales rose 8.8% on year in December, marking the third straight gain after rising 8.1% in November, rebounding 2.9% in October and falling 4.3% in September. The Japan Department Stores Association said luxury goods continued drawing customers while sales of clothing for going out and traveling goods were also strong.
Contact; this reporter: max@macenews.com
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