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"Kashimadai Tagaichi," a historic market, which originally began as an initiative to augment the welfare of villagers, that has been running for more than 100 years and is the largest such market in the Tohoku region (Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture). It is held for three days twice a year in spring and fall, with as many as 300 stalls lined up to offer garden plants, agricultural produce, woodwork, clothing and much more.
The 2007 Census of Commerce showed that 1.47 million wholesale and retail stores were in operation in Japan, following the pattern of constant decrease, with its 1982 peak of 2.15 million. The number of persons engaged became 11.69 million, of which 11.11 million were persons regularly engaged (which means persons engaged remaining after temporary employees and workers dispatched from outside units are excluded). A total of 548 trillion yen was generated in annual sales.
The number of wholesale stores dropped to 335,000 in 2007, from 375,000 in 2004, showing a decrease of 10.8 percent. Observed by size of operation in terms of persons engaged, approximately 90 percent of the stores were small- and medium-scale operations (with less than 20 persons). A total of 81.7 percent was incorporated establishments, while 18.3 percent individual proprietorships.
The number of persons engaged in wholesale was 3.62 million in 2007, of which there were 552,000 part-timers (15.2 percent). Annual sales in wholesale amounted to 414 trillion yen.
The number of retail stores in operation totaled 1.14 million in 2007, showing a continual downtrend since the 1985 Census. Observed by size of operation in terms of persons engaged, approximately 90 percent of the stores were small- and medium-scale operations (with less than 10 persons). By type of organization, 49.7 percent of retail stores were incorporated establishments, while 50.3 percent were individual proprietorships. Although the proportion of individual proprietorships was higher in the retail sector than in the wholesale sector, it has been declining since its peak (90.1 percent) in 1958.
The number of persons engaged in retail was 8.06 million in 2007, of which 3.97 million part-timers comprised 49.2 percent of the total. Annual sales in retail was 135 trillion yen.
The 2007 average sales floor space per retail establishment was by far the largest in department stores (23,630 square meters), followed by general merchandise supermarkets (9,403 square meters), specialty supermarkets (1,126 square meters) and drugstores (375 square meters). Store size growth was evident relative to the 2004 level, with a significant increase of 33.5 percent in drugstores serving as a major example.
Of the total annual sales at retail business establishments, roughly 80 percent were storefront sales, while about 20 percent were non-storefront sales. Compared to the 2002 survey on non-storefront sales, door-to-door sales dropped by about 20 percent, while mail order and catalog sales grew by approximately 30 percent.
According to the 2006 Establishment and Enterprise Census, there were 725,000 food service establishments in operation and 4.12 million employed persons (persons regularly or temporarily engaged). The 2009 Economic Census, newly created and conducted on July 1, 2009, showed there were 673,000 food service establishments in operation and 4.42 million employed persons (persons regularly or temporarily engaged).
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