iTunes Music Store Japan launch to be delayed?

Scanning the business section of the Nikkei we came across an article on the music download market worldwide, naturally focusing on Apple. One snippet that comes up toward the end of the article is that Apple is facing even stiffer opposition from record companies here than it did elsewhere; apparently they're saying that without some form of "content protection" measures (read DRM) they are unable to supply their music to the Store. In the words of Apple Japan's VP in charge, despite Steve Jobs' assertion that the Japan launch would happen within 2004, things are still at square one.

Given that most of the record companies in question are part of the few remaining global conglomerates, it doesn't make sense to us that their suits should have agreed to the Music Store in some regions but not others. Unless the refusal veils a different reason, such as that Apple's pricing doesn't sit too well with them. Download services here--none of which have seen any significant success--thus far have priced songs at Y200-Y300 per download, and bringing in $0.99 per song pricing would mean roughly halving that.

[Via the Nikkei print edition]