Clothing retail sales in Japan fell by almost half in the first half of 2020

According to recent data from the Japan Department Stores Association (JDSA), apparel retail sales in Japan dropped by 40% in the first half of 2020 compared to the same time in 2019. The decline was noted both in the January-March 2020 first quarter as well as in the April-June quarter of the COVID-19 struck. A monthly surge can be seen from mid-May onwards, as the state of emergency has been lifted in stages across the country since May 14, 2020 before being finally ended on May 25 , 2020.