Four major Japanese department store operators Wednesday reported same-store sales growth in December 2022, citing robust demand for Christmas cakes and gifts and active spending by visitors from abroad. J. Front Retailing Co. sales expand 9.5% from a year before at its directly operated Daimaru and Matsuzakaya stores. Sales rose 8.6% at Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. stores, 4.6% at Takashimaya Co. stores and 1.6% at stores of Sogo & Seibu Co., a Seven & i Holdings Co. Handbags and jewelry also sold well. The flagship Isetan store in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward logged single-day sales of 1.6bn yen on Christmas Eve. New Year's sales at department stores made a solid start in the first absence of COVID-19 restrictions on business and other activities in three years.