Apple Confirms iTMS Coming to Japan This Year

by , 8:00 AM EDT, April 14th, 2005

Apple Computer will launch a version of its iTunes Music Store (iTMS) in Japan by the end of this year, the president of Apple's Japanese division has told the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper.

Yoshiaki Sakito, president of Apple Japan, made the announcement on Tuesday in Tokyo. Mr. Sakito confirmed that the company is currently in talks with major CD companies over the number of songs to be provided on the iTMS and their prices.

Japan is Apple's largest international market and the iPod digital media device has been a resounding success, capturing the top three spots among best selling MP3 players, according to Nikkei Market Access.

Since April 2003, Apple has sold music through iTMS in the U.S. and 14 other countries at US$0.99, or about 107 yen, per song. Apple announced in early March it had sold over 300 million songs online. In the U.S., the service features more than one million songs and more than 9,000 audiobooks.

An Apple spokesperson at its corporate headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. was not immediately available for additional comment. Apple's standard policy is not to comment on unannounced products or services.