Fast Retailing, the parent company of Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo, has defied the ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo and soft consumer sentiment in China to log a rebound in sales and profits on the Chinese mainland.
The Japanese firm said the 2026 financial year, which ended in August, had been a period in which its mainland China business had “made steady progress, with encouraging steps indicating a return to growth”, according to its annual report released on Thursday.
The company’s full-year revenue on the Chinese mainland climbed 3 per cent year on year in local currency terms, while business profits rose by roughly 18 per cent. Hong Kong and Taiwan also saw increases in full-year revenue and profit over the period, the group said.
The improved performance was partly driven by ongoing structural reforms, with Uniqlo rolling out a revamp of its store network in mainland China with a focus on refined site selection and higher operational efficiency, the company said. The chain has opened more large-format stores and closed many smaller underperforming outlets.