Apple Opens iTunes Japan

Apple Computer Inc. launched its music-downloading service, iTunes Music Store, in Japan on Thursday with 1 million songs, most of which will be available for about 150 yen a pop, the maker of the hit iPod portable player said. Japanese music on Sony labels are not available on iTunes, said Sony Music Entertainment spokeswoman Kiyono Yoshinaga. “We are in talks with Apple, but we have not reached an agreement at this time,” she said, declining to give details. 

No comment, that we could find, regarding their strategy for mobile phones.. [Ed’s]

Jobs said the iTunes Music Store is providing 1 million songs, including Japanese and international, most of them at 150 yen each. Only 10 percent of the songs cost 200 yen. It is slightly more than the 99 cents charged in the U.S. version of the service, but the crowd at the Tokyo hall cheered when the price was announced.

Philip Schiller, a senior vice president who oversees product marketing, said Apple could not comment on how the pricing for Japan was decided. But Japanese rivals announced in rapid-fire succession later Monday that they would slash their prices. Sony’s Label Gate Co. said it would cut prices to 150 yen from 200 yen per song, while Excite Japan Co. and Yahoo Japan Corp. also announced price cuts. Continue