SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 6 -- Global sales of semiconductors reached $11.55 billion in July, an increase of 19.3 percent from July 1998, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. The trade group credited the results to gains in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. Chip sales in Japan totaled $2.56 billion in July, rising 25 percent from the previous year. Asia-Pacific sales were up 29 percent to $2.83 billion. North and South America saw an increase of 18 percent, with sales reaching $3.79 billion, while European sales rose 6.3 percent to $2.36 billion.