iTunes Japan

[meron_dori-ma]

How the heck do you get registered??? I bought a iTunes Japan card from Jbox and I've tried numerous times to get it registered, but aparently, you need a Japanses address to enter. I emailed Jbox and asked them for all the information I need, but they failed to send me they're phone-number (which I couldn't find online), and their address didn't fit any of the prefectures listed for choosing! I gave up for monthes but now I'm asking AN: how the heck does this deal work?

[HSaabedra]

The info should be up on their site. All you do is fire up iTunes and just follow directions. It does take them awhile to respond to emails.

[meron_dori-ma]

That's what I'm saying, I already did that...maybe I'm missing some common sense or something, but I seriously couldn't figure it out.

[Dr. Ezra]

That's rough. Well, I've found that trying to connect to Japan from the U.S. or wherever you live is very difficult. I hate to say it, but you might have to resort to purchasing full CD's from places like YesAsia and CDJapan.

I wish I could help with your situation. Sorry.

[meron_dori-ma]

Yeah...good thing there's the Fullmoon show podcast and TPR podcast to supply me with J-pop and K-pop. But I will NOT give up on this! :8( Jbox is selling that card to foreigners especially, and it just HAS to work! A popular site like that wouldn't con us... Maybe I'll try all kind of crap until it works. I just down want to get hunted down for it. Aparently, you're not supposed to use another countries account.

[Dr. Ezra]

I was just browing through iTunes Japan on my iTunes. There's all the latest stuff. I don't want to sign up, though. Each song is 200 Yen. How much is that in U.S. Currency?

[meron_dori-ma]

A little less that $2.

[Dr. Ezra]

Then they're overpriced. Yeesh.

[Cotmweasel]

considering Jpop CDs cost ~$30 each, $2 a song sounds about right

[HSaabedra]

Then they're overpriced. Yeesh.

That's the average price in the marketplace considering iTunes Japan is less popular than the Chaku-Uta or Napster download service for cellphones and each are around the same price per track.

[Dorktron2000]

That's the average price in the marketplace considering iTunes Japan is less popular than the Chaku-Uta or Napster download service for cellphones and each are around the same price per track.

I thought all of them were based on concessions to the Japanese music industry. If I remember correctly, it took Apple a while to start service in Japan because the companies wouldn't do the $0.99 thing.

[HSaabedra]

I thought all of them were based on concessions to the Japanese music industry. If I remember correctly, it took Apple a while to start service in Japan because the companies wouldn't do the $0.99 thing.

Apple wanted to undercut Chaku-Uta since it's a rival service owned by Sony, but couldn't do it because of the other companies participating in said service, which makes up the bulk of the industry. Napster had to sign a deal with Tower Records Japan and NTT DoCoMo because it was the only way they could get into the Japanese market.

Apple wanted to do the $0.99 cent thing as an attack, but companies didn't like the idea of undervaluing music to gain marketshare. Japanese consumers don't really like the iPod to begin with because the average cellphone can already do what it does, with the added benefits of over the air downloading and wireless stereo audio. This is why the iPhone won't succeed in Japan, simply because everything in it is already common in the Japanese wireless industry.