Sales of lingerie in Japan inched down in 2006, by 0.2% to Y406 billion.
It's the eighth straight year of decline.
What? There's nothing on underneath?
Warm weather is to blame for thermal underwear sales hurting.
Also, Fast Retailing Co.'s Uniqlo discount clothes chain, casual clothing retailer Shimamura Co. started selling women's underwear.
As a result, market share for each of the top five went down.
Wacoal didn't sell enough Love Bras for young women.
Triumph made the wrong move by ceasing sales of its Tenshi no Bra (angel's bra).
The top five lingerie makers in Japan:
| Lingerie | |||
| Rank | Company Name | Share | Point Change |
| 1 | Wacoal | 26.4 | -0.7 |
| 2 | Triumph International | 12.3 | -0.5 |
| 3 | Charle | 4.2 | -0.9 |
| 4 | Gunze | 4.2 | -1.0 |
| 5 | Cecile | 3.2 | -0.6 |
| Total domestic sales: 406.0 billion yen (down 0.2%) Source: Nikkei estimates | |||
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