Duty-free sales drop at Japan department stores during China holidays

Major Japanese department store operators reported on Monday a drop in duty-free sales during the Lunar New Year holiday amid China's ban on all outbound group travel to stop the spread of a deadly coronavirus.Three out of the nation's four major operators, including Takashimaya Co., saw double-digit declines in duty-free sales from late January, with the decrease continuing into February. Chinese tourists make the majority of purchases, so the downturn is expected to persist long-term.Takashimaya reported a fall in duty-free sales of 14.7 percent in the week through Jan. 30 from the previo…READ FULL ARTICLE