Retail sales in Japan were down 0.1 percent on year in April, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Wednesday, standing at 11.522 trillion yen.
That beat forecasts for a contraction of 0.4 percent following the 0.3 percent decline in March.
Sales from large retailers were down an annual 2.3 percent, missing expectations for a fall of 1.0 percent after climbing an upwardly revised 2.5 percent in the previous month (originally 2.4 percent).
On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales gained 0.7 percent - beating forecasts for 0.2 percent after dropping a downwardly revised 1.5 percent a month earlier (originally 1.4 percent).
The ministry also said that commercial sales dropped 0.2 percent on year to 38.282 trillion yen and wholesale sales also lost 0.2 percent on year to 26.760 trillion yen.
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