After multiple delays, Apple has opened iTunes Music Store in Japan, with a starter catalog of one-million tracks. Apple is significantly underpricing the local download market, and reveling in planting a big footprint in Sony's back yard. Typically, Sony is bringing its industry politics directly to the consumer by withholding its catalog from iTMS Japan. Idiots. It's not about driving customers to competing services, it's about driving customers to unauthorized services. It'll be interesting to see how the whole thing plays out; for some background look back at Derek Sivers (of CD Baby)'s report on his trip to Japan.
