Japan department store sales saw modest gains in 2021 but stayed below pre-pandemic level

Department store sales in Japan rose moderately in 2021 from the previous year to some ¥4.4 trillion but stayed below the level seen before the outbreak of COVID-19, sources said Saturday.

Sales went up by about ¥200 billion from ¥4.2 trillion marked in 2020, when department stores were forced to close for a long period of time due to the spread of the virus.

(source) https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/01/22/business/department-store-sales-covid/