no itunes for japan, it seems

Japan has been on fire with a fever for iPods. They are everywhere, enjoying huge popularity everywhere I look: planes, trains, and (with the third-party FM-broadcast attachment) automobiles. But the iTunes Music Store has yet to open in Japan, because the largest record companies are concerned about the ease of use of CD-R burning of the content. (Japanese/English) This is a fine Japanese cultural example of trend vs. business. While the public has embraced a new technology, and has provided an automatic market for the service, sluggish businesses whose luddite policies must always be conservative and “safe,” will sit on their hands as long as possible. [chosaq]