Caustic can finally buy legit J-Pop!

[bejiita]

Don't know how this news story escaped me but it came out last week. But you still gotta wait until 2006 before you can see Spirited Away at the movies.

[Caustic Saint]

Don't know how this news story escaped me but it came out last week. But you still gotta wait until 2006 before you can see Spirited Away at the movies.

Actually, Spirited Away was in theaters here in 2002, not too long after it came out in Japan. It played in both subbed and dubbed version.

But while Ide may enthuse, not a few CD companies are worried about "reimportation," as Japanese CDs sold in other parts of Asia are already in circulation here.

They should worry about this big-time. The average price of a CD in Korea is about 1,072yen, far less than what customers pay in Japan - for the exact same CD!

Oh, they'd better worry.

[Caustic Saint]

They should worry about this big-time. The average price of a CD in Korea is about 1,072yen, far less than what customers pay in Japan - for the exact same CD!

Oh, they'd better worry.

Yes, J Gov. Inc. (JGI KK) is very worried about this and has started high-level discussions in the Diet. Believe it or not, they may ban CD imports all together. And that is just a brilliant idea as you know, that will just result in more internet downloads et al. Instead of reforming, and making a more competitive market, it seems that they are taking the old road. There you go - JGI KK in action!

There's another angle to consider as well:

iTunes Music Store Japan

Apple Computer to start online music sales in Japan next year
The Asahi Shimbun

Apple Computer Inc. will open its iTunes Music Store to customers in Japan by as early as next year, CEO Steve Jobs, in Tokyo for the opening of Apple Store Ginza on Sunday, told The Asahi Shimbun.

....

Roxio Inc., the U.S. operator of the Napster service, has also announced it will introduce its online service in Japan within a year.

The entry of Apple and other foreign firms into the online music market in Japan is expected to spur domestic rivals into action and greatly expand the market.

No word on pricing, but would 100yen per song be too unrealistic?