Japan Current Survey of Commerce

Data Consumption

Source: Japan METI
Source Link: https://www.meti.go.jp/
Frequency: Monthly
Next Release(s): September 15th, 2025 11:30 PM

Latest Updates

Japanese final retail sales growth for June was 0.9% MoM and 1.9% YoY, revised down from the preliminary estimate of 1.0% MoM and 2.0% YoY.
- Total commercial sales fell -0.8% MoM but were up 1.7% YoY, unrevised from the preliminary estimate.
- Total wholesale sales dropped -1.6% MoM but were up 1.6% YoY, a slight downward revision to the annual rate.
- Machinery & equipment sales bounced back 3.1% MoM, and auto sales bounced -1.7% MoM.
- General merchandise sales dropped for the fourth time in five months, down -3.6% MoM and -12.1% YoY.
Source
Japanese final retail sales growth for May was -0.6% MoM and 1.9% YoY, revised down from the preliminary estimate of -0.2% MoM and 2.2% YoY.
- Total commercial sales increased 0.3% MoM but were down -0.2% YoY, unrevised from the preliminary estimate.
- Total wholesale sales were up 0.9% MoM but down -0.9% YoY, a slight upward revision to the monthly rate.
- Machinery & equipment sales dropped -1.5% MoM, and auto sales dropped -4.0% MoM.
- General merchandise sales dropped for the third time in four months, down -2.6% MoM and -14.6% YoY.
Source
Japanese final retail sales growth for April was 0.7% MoM and 3.5% YoY, revised up from the preliminary estimate of 3.3% YoY and an acceleration from 3.1% YoY in March.
- Total commercial sales were up 0.1% MoM and 2.1% YoY, revised up from the preliminary estimate of 2.0% YoY.
- Wholesale sales fell -0.4% MoM and were up 1.8% YoY, revised up from the preliminary estimate of 1.4% YoY.
- Motor vehicle sales were up 0.9% MoM and 9.7% YoY in April, a sharp acceleration from 1.8% YoY in March.
- General merchandise sales were notably weak and have been for the last three months, down -10.9% YoY in April.
Source
Japan’s final retail sales growth in March was -1.2% MoM and 3.0% YoY, a slight downgrade from the preliminary reading of 3.1% YoY.
- Wholesale sales growth was revised down from 3.6% YoY to 3.4% YoY.
- In total, commercial sales were up 3.3% YoY, revised down from 3.5% YoY.
- The two strongest categories were furniture & household goods (+6.2% MoM) and “other” goods (+3.8% MoM).
- General merchandise saw a large -5.0% MoM decline in March, extending the -4.9% MoM decline in February.
Source
Japan’s final retail sales growth in February was 0.4% MoM and 1.3% YoY, a slight downgrade from the preliminary reading of 0.5% MoM and 1.4% YoY.
- While retail sales growth was revised down, wholesale sales growth was revised up from 0.2% MoM to 0.7% MoM.
- In total, commercial sales were up 0.9% MoM, above the preliminary estimate for February of 0.5% MoM.
- The two strongest categories were apparel & accessories (+4.2% MoM) and machinery & equipment (+3.8% MoM). The monthly increase in machinery was the largest in over a year.
- General merchandise was the segment with the biggest decline, down -4.9% MoM, but that followed a 9.4% MoM jump in February.
Japan’s final estimate of retail sales growth in January is 1.2% MoM and 4.4% YoY, upgraded from the initial estimate of 0.5% MoM and 3.9% YoY.
- Total commercial sales monthly growth was upgraded to 1.6% MoM from 0.8% MoM, but the annual rate was adjusted down from 6.3% YoY to 6.1% YoY.
- Wholesale sales were up 2.2% MoM (vs 1.1% MoM initial estimate) and 6.9% YoY (vs 7.2% YoY initial estimate).
Japanese total commercial sales were down -0.3% MoM and up 3.8% YoY in December, slightly better than the 3.7% YoY increase in November.
- Wholesale sales were down -0.2% MoM and up 3.9% YoY, slightly below 4.0% YoY, and retail sales were down -0.8% MoM and up 3.5% YoY, accelerating from 2.8% YoY previously.
- Nonstore retail sales surged 9.8% YoY, the strongest increase in 2024.
- Motor vehicle sales were down -5.9% YoY, the weakest since April.
- In Q4, commercial sales were up 3.9% YoY, and retail sales were up 2.6% YoY.
Total Japanese commercial sales in November were estimated to be up 3.7% YoY, down from 4.3% YoY in October. Wholesale sales growth eased from 5.4% YoY to 4.0% YoY. However, retail sales growth picked up from 1.3% YoY in October to 2.8% YoY in November, the fastest since June.
Japan total commercial sales were up 4.3% YoY in October, accelerating from 0.9% YoY in September. Wholesales trade was up 5.4% YoY, the strongest in three months. Machinery & equipment (+7.8% YoY) and electrical machinery & equipment (+10.4% YoY) were both notable strong segments of commercial sales.