How to purchase eBook in Japanese iBookStore from US?

Question

Level 1

9 points

How to purchase eBook in Japanese iBookStore from US?

I have iPad and Apple Account in the US.

Apple has started selling eBooks in iBookStore in Japan. I understand two accounts are required to purchase any eBooks from there;

1) new apple acount for Japan region = easy to create 2nd account, and use it to login.

2) credit card account in Japan = I cannot open it living in the US. But I have credit account in the US. Why payment cannot be done from the US credit account, just ilke ship abroad w/card?

Please provide any feasible resolution or work-around.

Regards,

Hiro (iBook Author of sushi@home)

iPad, Windows XP

Posted on Mar 7, 2013 1:38 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 7, 2013 1:42 PM in response to Hiro Aoki

In order to have an account in the Japanese store, you would need to 1) have a valid billing address in Japan, 2)have a credit card billed to that address or a gift card purchased in Japan and 3) be physically present in Japan. If you can't meet those requirements, you can't get an account in the Japanese iBookStore. Apple and the content owners do this to protect copyrights in different countries. Sorry.

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Answer 2

Apr 12, 2013 4:30 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

I feel Apple has no understanding for people who live in different countries from their home country. Why not just make all Apps available everywhere in the world unless for some reason a country chooses to ban it? I mean you can buy things online and have them shipped to you from anywhere in the world from some companies. Why can't Apple's iTunes and App store not be like that? however, I have always lived in Japan since the itunes store opened and always used my US credit card. Even in Japan, I could only access the US store and buy apps despite not being in that country. I just switched my account over to Japan using mynew Japanese credit card (which I never had previously) But my new problem is all my previously purchased apps no longer appear as "apps purchased" in the App Store.

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