Japan’s retail sales surged in April, compared to the same period last year, largely thanks to the comparatively low base of figures in April 2020, when the country’s Covid-19 restrictions were even stricter than those currently in place.

Year-on-year, retail sales rose 12 percent, the government said on Monday, citing a strong appetite for general merchandise and clothing, in particular. This said, on a seasonally adjusted month-to-month basis, retail sales were down 4.5 percent, as recent measures to combat the pandemic are dealing a blow to consumer sentiment.

There is widening concern that Japan’s economy could fall into recession in the current quarter, after the government extended a state of emergency for Tokyo and other major areas until June 20, which is likely to further hurt consumer spending over the next few months.