Japan's retail sales surprised investors' expectations in January, rising by 6.3% on an annual basis to land at ¥13 trillion (~$95.3 billion), according to a report released on Tuesday by the country's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
On a monthly basis, the sales value went up by 1.9%. The total value of commercial sales amounted to ¥45.6 trillion, with 3.2% more goods sold compared to January 2022.
Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted value of sales in the wholesale industry reached ¥32.6 trillion, marking a year-on-year increase of 2%.