Japan's retail sales went below investors' expectations in February, down by a 2.0% on a monthly basis to land at ¥12.2 trillion (
$76.1 billion), according to a preliminary report released on Tuesday by the country's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
On an annual basis, the sales value went down by 0.2%, as the total value of commercial sales reached ¥50.3 trillion, with 0.9% more goods sold compared to February 2025 and 1% fewer month-on-month.
Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted value of sales in the wholesale industry reached ¥38.2 trillion, marking a year-on-year increase of 1.3% and a monthly drop of 1.2%.