Feb 25 (NHK) - Purchases by foreign tourists at department stores in Japan have dropped, despite a record number of overseas visitors. It marks the first decrease in more than 2 years.
Officials at the Japan Department Stores Association say purchases by foreign visitors last month fell 7.7 percent from a year earlier.
They say Chinese travelers spent less on the back of the country's economic slowdown stemming from the ongoing trade dispute with the United States.
Another factor is China's stricter regulations on reselling products purchased in Japan online.
Overall department store sales in January also fell 2.9 percent year-on-year, marking a decrease for the third straight month.