Chapter3. Retail Industry

1. The retail industry of the city had 21,663 business establishments, 150,997 persons engaged and annual sales of 3.0667 trillion yen as of June 1, 2004. In annual sales, the national share of the city's retail industry accounted for 2.3%.
   
   
2. By type of business, general supermarkets, specialized supermarkets, and specialized stores declined from 2002 to 2004 in both number of establishments and annual sales, with a particularly marked decline for supermarkets specializing in clothing. On the other hand, department stores and convenience stores recorded an increase in both number of establishments and annual sales. In particular, convenience stores that are open 24 hours a day showed steady growth during the same period.
   
   
3. In 2006, the total annual sales at department stores and supermarkets in the city remained as strong as in 2005 (up 0.3% from 2005), but decreased in many other large cities. There have been frequent increases in floor space and refurbishing at these stores. The floor sales area of department stores has also been on the increase.
   
   
4. Regarding the geographical distribution of retail establishments, Naka Ward and Nakamura Ward account for 23.9% of the total number of establishments and 35.4% of the total annual sales in the city. From 2002 to 2004, the number of establishments remained unchanged or increased slightly in Naka Ward and Atsuta Ward, while it decreased in other wards. Annual sales decreased in all the wards except Atsuta Ward, which is the only ward where the number of establishments and annual sales increased. This is presumably attributed to the large shopping center which has opened since 2002.
   
   
5. The city has seven underground shopping centers in the Nagoya Station Area, three in the Sakae Area, and four in other areas. As of June 1, 2004, the number of retail establishments located in these underground shopping centers was 238 in the Nagoya Station Area, 198 in the Sakae Area, and 26 in other areas, showing that retail establishments are concentrated in the Nagoya Station Area and the Sakae Area. About 60% of those retail establishments deal in textiles/clothes/accessories; thus, fashion-related shops are concentrated in the city's underground shopping centers.