Friday, Jan. 30, 2026
0850 JST (2350 GMT/1850 EST Thursday, Jan. 29) The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry releases December retail sales.
Mace News median: +0.4% y/y (range: -0.5% to +1.4%) vs. Nov revised up to +1.1% from +1.0%; -0.6% m/m (range: -1.0% to -0.3%) vs. Nov revised up to +0.7% from +0.6%
By Chikafumi Hodo
TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan’s retail sales are expected to rise 0.4% on the year in December, extending gains for a fourth straight month, supported by robust automobile sales and a slowdown in the decline of new passenger car registrations.
Still, the year-on-year increase was weighed down by slower department store sales and falling gasoline prices in December. In November, retail sales rose 1.1% (revised from up 1.0%), lifted by strong demand for drugs and cosmetics, solid vehicle sales and a sharp gain in appliances, possibly reflecting increased purchases of heat pumps and other seasonal goods.
On a month-on-month basis, retail sales are expected to post their first decline in four months, falling 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.7% (revised from up 0.6%) in November and gaining 1.6% in October.
Last month, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry upgraded its view of retail sales for the first time since February 2025, saying retail sales are “taking one step forward, one step back,” compared with its previous assessment that they “have a weak undertone.”