Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. said Jan. 10 that same-store sales of its Uniqlo apparel chain in Japan, including online sales, increased 5.2% year over year in December 2018.

The retailer attributed the growth to the cold weather, which strengthened demand for winter clothing, and to its year-end bargain sale.

Sales for Uniqlo Japan's directly run stores, which include online sales, also rose 5.2% year over year.

Customer numbers increased 4.3% on a same-store basis during the month while average purchase per customer was up 0.9%.

The company did not open or close stores in Japan in December 2018.