Auntie Beeb, in one-sentence-paragraph mode, wrote:Japan retail sales fall after tax increase
Retail sales in Japan fell 4.4% in April, compared with the same period last year, as the effect of an increase in the country's sales tax began to be felt.
Japan raised the tax from 5% to 8% on 1 April - the first hike in 17 years.
The country faces rising social welfare costs due to an ageing population and is trying to rein in public debt.
Analysts said sales had dropped in part due to consumers rushing to make purchases ahead of the tax rise.
That trend was evident in March, when sales surged 11% - the fastest pace of growth since March 1997.
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