In Tokyo, Responses Vary in Tony Shops

The Wall Street Journal
March 21, 2011
By MARIKO SANCHANTA And CHRISTINA PASSARIELLO

Tokyo's fanciest retail sections were open for business this past weekend, with streets less crowded as usual after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.  Many European shops were closed.  These luxury shops are in trouble in the short-term aftermath of the destruction.  Actually, over the past few years luxury items in Japan have been on the decline as the people who once cited high prices with good quality are more concerned with value.  before the earthquake many thought the worst was over for luxury shops, but now that appears to be wrong.