Japan June Retail Sales: Home Centers Fall 6.9%, Drugstores Rise 0.6%

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released its June commercial activity report on July 31. Home‑center sales totaled ¥274.9 billion, a 6.9% decline from a year earlier, while the number of stores rose 0.5% to 4,577. Sales fell across most categories, including DIY tools, electrical goods, interior goods, household items and gardening products.

Drugstore sales reached ¥802.5 billion, marking a 0.6% year‑on‑year increase, with store count up 3.2% to 27,722. Prescription‑drug sales rose 11.5%, but other segments such as OTC medicines, healthcare items and beauty care saw modest drops. Food sales grew 2.2%, while overall retail trends showed mixed performance across Japan’s consumer‑goods sector.