Fast Retailing Co., known for its Uniqlo brand of clothing stores, said Thursday its operating profit climbed 22.9 percent in the September-February period from a year earlier to 167.98 billion yen ($1.53 billion), thanks to robust demand for its casual clothing in Japan and China.

The Japanese company, which also operates the GU casual clothing brand, said it revised upward its operating profit outlook for the current business year through August to 255 billion yen from an initial forecast of 245 billion yen.

Its net profit rose 5.4 percent in the first half of its business year to 105.87 billion yen, on sales of 1.20 trillion yen, down 0.5 percent.

==Kyodo

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