iTMS Japan Within A Year?

[MacRumors]

In a story on Apple's iPod influence in Japan, the Associated Press (Apple will offer the Japanese equivalent of iTunes within the next year, with prices comparable to the 99 cents a tune it charges in the United States, Apple vice president Yoshiaki Sakito, a former Sony employee, said in an interview at Apple's Tokyo headquarters) released an interview excerpt with Apple Japan's vice president Yoshiaki Sakito. A former Sony employee, Sakito claims that the iTMS would be made available in Japan within a year, offering downloads at prices comparable to US download prices. This is sharply below other download services currently available in Japan, with most downloads costing $2.30 US each.

[Porchland]

Sony Connect, judo chop!

[RHutch]

$2.30 for a song. That's crazy!

[irmongoose]

Now that Apple Japan has gotten over their recent executives replacement spree, it is just as well that they start going into talks with the Japanese music labels. I'll be waiting, Sakito san!



irmongoose

[macridah]

Japan is a good market for apple to be in. Out of 8 music devices, 6 are iPods. That's potential for some yen.

[longpath]

For me, the only issue is whether this will allow me to purchase music for Japanese acts without having to deal with shipping delays through yesasia.com (formerly asiacd.com) or outrageous pricing from a Manhattan-based Japanese bookstore (like Kunokuniya). The pricing that is described is along the lines of what I have seen through some of the cheaper places, like yesasia. It might seem outrageous by American standards; but if it includes the major Japanese acts (from EMI and Avex Trax) then it's about par.

[Mr.Sorensen]

For me, the only issue is whether this will allow me to purchase music for Japanese acts without having to deal with shipping delays through yesasia.com (formerly asiacd.com) or outrageous pricing from a Manhattan-based Japanese bookstore (like Kunokuniya).

Yes... will a US customer be able to order from that iTMS. Does anyone know if one can do this now with the european stores? I have actually not bought anything yet from any iTMS. But if I could get access to some Japanese techno acts...

[macridah]

Yes... will a US customer be able to order from that iTMS. Does anyone know if one can do this now with the european stores? I have actually not bought anything yet from any iTMS. But if I could get access to some Japanese techno acts...

I don't think you could get music from the europe stores if you're in the US. I tried to download the free song on the UK site and I got a message saying I cannot download music from that store with my login ID.

Maybe you could make another apple ID for international purchases, but I don't know how this would affect the DRM.

[Azuran]

One of the good things or bad things, depends on who's side your looking at is that itms protects the people who have the rights to distribution in each region. You only have to look at the headache that the UK indies caused and are still causing.

[SiliconAddict]

[Edit: Hehe. Might help to actually read the thread before posting. :p ]

What is the likelihood of US iTMS customers getting our hands on Japanese music? I ask because a friend of mine who did the whole foreign exchange thing came back with some Japanese music and while I can't understand a damn word that is said *shrugs* Its music. I can enjoy that and the vocals. Suffice it to say I can't just walk into a Best Buy and find music from another country let alone sample said music. It would be cool if this store would open up cross iTMS regional sales.

PS- There is nothing that will get you stares from other drivers like blaring rap music that is being sung in Japanese in the middle of rush-hour traffic. I'm not a big fan of rap to begin with but the shock value is priceless. :D

[amake]

Since you currently can't buy from stores not in your country, I don't see why you'd be able to with the Japanese store. Think about it: It took (is taking) forever just to establish the foreign stores. It would take forever-and-a-half to negotiate the rights involved with cross-selling.

I predict that it will never happen.

[Makosuke]

Yeah, as much as I'd go spend vast sums of money at the JiTMS, I seriously doubt anyone outside Japan will have a shot at it. If only big companies weren't such total jerks about cross-national licencing, maybe we could all enjoy music without paying outrageous sums for imports.

And people wonder why illegal MP3s are still so popular--I'd LOVE to buy my Japanese music legitimately, but that ain't exactly easy right now.

On the flip side, if the JiTMS is around 100 yen/track, then it'll be dirt cheap by Japanese standards--if you think $17 is a rip-off for a CD, try over $30 on a good day. Talk about getting reamed by the big guys.

PS- There is nothing that will get you stares from other drivers like blaring rap music that is being sung in Japanese in the middle of rush-hour traffic. I'm not a big fan of rap to begin with but the shock value is priceless. :DPlaying J-Rap in front of other people is too much fun, especially if it's a chipper, smartass group like East End x Yuri.

[MacFan26]

That seems about right, since aren't they also opening another retail store there? Considering how many iPods are over there, it seems only natural to have an iTMS, at least, they'd probably make a good profit from it. If not from sales, more name recognition.

[5300cs]

...And people wonder why illegal MP3s are still so popular--I'd LOVE to buy my Japanese music legitimately, but that ain't exactly easy right now...

Yeah, go kazaa

...On the flip side, if the JiTMS is around 100 yen/track, then it'll be dirt cheap by Japanese standards--if you think $17 is a rip-off for a CD, try over $30 on a good day. Talk about getting reamed by the big guys...

I NEVER buy CDs in Japan, might as well just flush that money right down the washiki :)

...Playing J-Rap in front of other people is too much fun, especially if it's a chipper, smartass group like East End x Yuri...

Ugh, wouldn't playing that in the US get you shot?

[fixyourthinking]

Can someone confirm that a valid reason international iTunes is taking a while is because each country has it's own localization?

What I mean is, I am pretty sure Napster is just in english and possibly uses something like babelfish to translate; whereas Apple is actually doing all this right and making it exclusive versions of the store for each language region.

This may be a big reason Japan will take so long???

[irmongoose]

No, the reason is that Apple has to negotiate with the record labels from each country separately. Even if Universal Music in the States owns the rights to a certain song, it is only in the States. If Apple wants to have that song or artist in the Japan store, they have to go to Universal Music Japan and negotiate a deal with them. Even though they all will probably agree to an almost identical deal in the end, they have to do it separately. This is why it is taking so much time.

Now, the reason why Apple Japan took so long to start the negotiations was that they made a lot of changes among the executives. And without a stable set of executives, you can't make important business decisions. But now that they have that matter settled, they are going for it.



irmongoose

[wdlove]

With the long waiting line for the opening of the Tokyo Apple Store, it just shows how popular Apple is in Japan. That is why they are opening a second store. The popularity should definitely help Apple with the negotiations.

[JHVH-1]

I think this is good news but it would be even better news if the music from the japan store was available in the US.

Well at least I have http://www.tokyorecohan.com/ for buying used CDs (they end up being around the same price as american CDs, sometimes cheaper depending on popularity)

Sites like http://yesasia.com and http://www.hmv.co.jp/ have the goods but they are so pricey. After shipping CDs can sometimes be $40. The american version of Amazon isn't any help either. Never tried ordering from http://amazon.co.jp though, but I doubt its cheap either.

No if somebody knows japanese, I wonder if they could switch to the japanese store and use a credit card to buy tracks?

[fixyourthinking]

I think this is good news but it would be even better news if the music from the japan store was available in the US.

Well at least I have http://www.tokyorecohan.com/ for buying used CDs (they end up being around the same price as american CDs, sometimes cheaper depending on popularity)

Sites like http://yesasia.com and http://www.hmv.co.jp/ have the goods but they are so pricey. After shipping CDs can sometimes be $40. The american version of Amazon isn't any help either. Never tried ordering from http://amazon.co.jp though, but I doubt its cheap either.

No if somebody knows japanese, I wonder if they could switch to the japanese store and use a credit card to buy tracks?


eBay has a huge biz with selling Japanese Music CDs

[slipper]

i think its a great idea, but why did it take so long for apple to consider japan for iTMS? sony has a HUGE presence in japan and their proprietary products like the minidisc is still big there. Apple better get on it before sony takes over.

[Ultie]

$2.30 a song USD.... talk about price gouging.....

[iAlan]

(let's assume an exchange rate of $1=110 yen)

An 'imported' Top 40 CD album on sale at Tower Records costs around 1900 yen (about $17.50). If you want the tack listing in Japanese, and possibly an extra 'Japan Only Album Track' which usually ends up as an extra track on a CD-single anyway, you can pay upto 3,000 yen ($27.50) which is what you actually pay for a Japanese artist CD.

So, if JiTMS gets here, and given the huge popularity of all things iPod (huge waiting lists at all stores, including the Ginza Apple Store), can you say HUGE SUCCESS

Praying praying, praying for JiTMS!

[JHVH-1]

I think one big problem might be Sony who have their own online music store if I recall correctly. They are the same company who publishes the music too, so it might have been hard for apple to step up to a behemoth such as them in Japan.

[MrSmith]

This talk of 'cross-licensing' has me a bit worried. I don't want to sound superior, but is it possible that JiTMS will sell only Japanese music??!! I mean, it's not like UK/US music isn't played here (in Japan) all the time. It would be a bit like Barnes & Noble selling only Jeffrey Archer novels :eek:

Is my fear unnecessary, d'yer think?

[5300cs]

...but is it possible that JiTMS will sell only Japanese music??!!

If it ends up selling nothing but j-pop & anime music, God help us all ...

[MrSmith]

If it ends up selling nothing but j-pop & anime music, God help us all ...

It isn't just me then... I've seen various posts from people who live in the US voicing their hope that they'll be able to download Japanese music from the US iTMS... i.e. voluntarily.

In the case of Japan to US/Europe, considering how J-Pop/Rock finds its way overseas as often as my begonia, you'd imagine the music bosses would jump at the opportunity to get an international audience. The other way round may be giving the delay, I suspect. :(

[5300cs]

If it were to represent ALL the music available in Japan right now, I'd be very open to it. I happen to be a fan of Japanese music (despite the sarcastic comment) but what I see in the mainstream these days is utter crap (in my opinion.) I'm talking about groups like Morning Musume in particular, and others that look just like them, as well as the 'Johnny's' type pretty-boy groups. If that were the only thing available and we were strong-armed choise-wise a la RIAA, then I personally would not like to see it come to be.

[MrSmith]

Yes. I'm not ignorant enough to write off a whole country's music. I don't listen to the radio much, so the music I do hear is on the 'barely-pubescent-Morning-Musume-clones' kind of shows on TV every night, and the backing music to adverts. Not just the looks, but, more importantly, the SOUND is all the same. I'm sure there are some good (neo-?)Goth bands out there, some good Pink Floyd stuff, REM, U2, etc. etc. (I hope Glay isn't their answer). But the fact is that here the Bros/Spice Girls/continuing-into-the-present industry is just HUGE, and there doesn't seem to be enough discerning taste to put a stop to it. That's the commercial fare, and that's the stuff that'll be pushed by the Japanese music industries.

Many of these kids are still in Junior High School, for crying out loud...

Still, Japan has Nakajima Miyuki, and there are few who have a voice like her.

[5300cs]

...Many of these kids are still in Junior High School, for crying out loud...

Ugh, don't remind me- I teach in junior high school. Luckily the children aren't allowed to bring in MD players (and cannot afford iPods) so I'm not subjected to any of it.

I was a big fan of j-pop from the 90s, like Mariko Takahashi or Yumi Matsutoya or Momoko Kikuchi, but mention any of those names these days, and you get ridiculed or trigger a trip down memory lane :rolleyes: *sigh*

I've got my fingers crossed, but I don't think Apple will let us down.

[amake]

It will sell anything that Japanese companies have a right to distribute in Japan, so I imagine that covers a large amount of Western as well as Japanese music. But again, barring a miracle, those of us outside Japan will not be able to buy anything from the Japanese store.

[stephenli]

goodbye Amazon.co.jp CD-store
Hello iTMS :)