Japan's restaurant sales see worst-ever fall

NHK -- Jan 25

Japan's major restaurant chains saw a record fall in sales last year due to the pandemic as people refrained from eating out and many businesses closed temporarily or shortened their opening hours.

The Japan Food Service Association says sales fell by just over 15 percent from a year earlier.

It's substantially worse than the 1.5 percent drop in 2009 after the global financial crisis. This is also the biggest decline since the current record-keeping system began in 1994.

Establishments relying on nighttime operations suffered badly. Sales at bars and izakayas dropped by almost half, and dining restaurants saw a nearly 36 percent decrease.

The Association gives a gloomy outlook at the start of this year, citing the impact of the ongoing state of emergency in Tokyo and 10 other prefectures.