Progress in Far East

The Japanese DIY market is growing very slowly. As figures from the Japan DIY Industry Association reveal, total sales in 2005 rose by 0.5 per cent to JPY 3 988 bn (€ 26 bn). The sales volume grew by 1.2 per cent in 2004 and by 1.6 per cent in 2003. By the end of 2005 there were 3 960 DIY stores in operation in Japan, or 50 more than at the end of the previous year.