Comments on: Japanese Only?! Outraged over location discrimination http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/ Photos, Stories and articles on East Asia Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:26:44 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Max http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/comment-page-1/#comment-63400 Max Mon, 21 Aug 2006 15:50:10 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/#comment-63400 Hi, I have a question on a related subject that maybe you can answer. Why can't I find any music sharing blogs from Japan (I have found 1 & some podcast sitesm but that's it). You seem them in the US, Europe, South America & China but I can't find any Japanese ones. Any suggestions? Max Hi,
I have a question on a related subject that maybe you can answer. Why can’t I find any music sharing blogs from Japan (I have found 1 & some podcast sitesm but that’s it). You seem them in the US, Europe, South America & China but I can’t find any Japanese ones. Any suggestions?
Max

]]> By: Peter Payne http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/comment-page-1/#comment-32208 Peter Payne Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:17:25 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/#comment-32208 Joe, you can have multiple accounts -- I've got three. Just log out of the Japan account, switch to the USA store using the selector at the bottom of iTunes, and log in to the other account. Joe, you can have multiple accounts—I’ve got three. Just log out of the Japan account, switch to the USA store using the selector at the bottom of iTunes, and log in to the other account.

]]> By: Joe http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/comment-page-1/#comment-32088 Joe Mon, 30 Jan 2006 05:38:26 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/#comment-32088 Another thing I just noticed last night: my iTunes account in the US won't work in Japan. And I really REALLY wanted to download that James Taylor song that iTunes Japan doesn't carry... (sniff) Another thing I just noticed last night: my iTunes account in the US won’t work in Japan.

And I really REALLY wanted to download that James Taylor song that iTunes Japan doesn’t carry… (sniff)

]]> By: Peter Payne http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/comment-page-1/#comment-32068 Peter Payne Sun, 29 Jan 2006 13:15:56 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/#comment-32068 Yes, you can get the iTunes Japan music cards from J-List. You have to use a dummy Japanese address when registering but they work very well. You don't even have to muck through Japanese text since iTunes will work in your native language. Yes, you can get the iTunes Japan music cards from J-List. You have to use a dummy Japanese address when registering but they work very well. You don’t even have to muck through Japanese text since iTunes will work in your native language.

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Japan: Locked Out http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/comment-page-1/#comment-32011 Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Japan: Locked Out Fri, 27 Jan 2006 18:58:09 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/#comment-32011 [...] Mutant Frog Travelogue fumes at being blocked from accessing content from the Japanese download sites: “Listen up, Japan: I would gladly PAY for a lot of this stuff! PAY! MONEY! And I know there are thousands if not millions of Japanese and non-Japanese people who would similarly pony up. So what’s the deal?” [...] [...] Mutant Frog Travelogue fumes at being blocked from accessing content from the Japanese download sites: “Listen up, Japan: I would gladly PAY for a lot of this stuff! PAY! MONEY! And I know there are thousands if not millions of Japanese and non-Japanese people who would similarly pony up. So what’s the deal?” [...]

]]> By: Mutantfrog http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/comment-page-1/#comment-31960 Mutantfrog Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:14:36 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/#comment-31960 The price difference between USD$1 and one UK pound is pretty huge! But Joe is correct, this access restriction has nothing to do with the stores themselves, and everything to do with the licensing terms of the content providers. Despite their best efforts, grey market importations of foreign cds or DVDs remain legal, and now they are trying to use technological means to continue their worldwide campaign of price gouging. And I thought globalization was supposed to open up closed domestic markets to competition... The price difference between USD$1 and one UK pound is pretty huge!

But Joe is correct, this access restriction has nothing to do with the stores themselves, and everything to do with the licensing terms of the content providers. Despite their best efforts, grey market importations of foreign cds or DVDs remain legal, and now they are trying to use technological means to continue their worldwide campaign of price gouging. And I thought globalization was supposed to open up closed domestic markets to competition…

]]> By: Joe http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/comment-page-1/#comment-31956 Joe Thu, 26 Jan 2006 06:18:36 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/01/25/japanese-only-outraged-over-location-discrimination/#comment-31956 One thing about iTunes is that song prices are different in each country. I believe that iTunes Japan songs are actually cheaper than iTunes US songs (Y100 vs. 99c); UK and European songs are the most expensive. It's not a huge difference unless you're downloading a lot of music, and it's certainly enough to make the various stores want to impose geographic limitations, since otherwise everyone would just be using the cheapest store available. If they equalized prices, everyone would have to pay a weird and constantly changing amount for their music (e.g. 99 cents, 114 yen, 81 eurocents, 56p, and even then it wouldn't be exactly equal) or use a single country's currency (like when you buy Skype minutes, which are priced in euros no matter which currency you pay in). Also, did you know that CD rental is still illegal in the US? One thing about iTunes is that song prices are different in each country. I believe that iTunes Japan songs are actually cheaper than iTunes US songs (Y100 vs. 99c); UK and European songs are the most expensive. It’s not a huge difference unless you’re downloading a lot of music, and it’s certainly enough to make the various stores want to impose geographic limitations, since otherwise everyone would just be using the cheapest store available. If they equalized prices, everyone would have to pay a weird and constantly changing amount for their music (e.g. 99 cents, 114 yen, 81 eurocents, 56p, and even then it wouldn’t be exactly equal) or use a single country’s currency (like when you buy Skype minutes, which are priced in euros no matter which currency you pay in).

Also, did you know that CD rental is still illegal in the US?

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