How do I change iBooks region to access book Apple recommended?

To use another country's store you have to be in that country and have a billing address in that country on your account - content providers understandably want control over how and where their content is available, each country therefore has to have its own store and you have to be in a country to use its store. Try contacting the publisher/rights-holder and ask them to put the book in the Japan iBookstore.

Yes you should. Content is licensed to Apple to sell (including free items) on a country-by-country basis, each country therefore has to have its own store and you have to be in a country with a billing address in that country to use its store - a book could have different rights-holders for different countries. Contact the publisher/rights-holder and ask them to put the book in the Japan store

ethereality wrote:

This strikes me as a non sequitur -- consider stores at airports. They don't require that. Likewise, use of a VISA card. This is the 21st century, where people reside in different countries for different periods of time. It's simply foolish and archaic to insist on a billing address in the same country you're trying to get something in. It's especially foolish if the item is free. Apple should fix these design flaws. I have contacted them with 'feedback' as Idris recommended. Please join me in doing so.

It's not a "design flaw" that Apple can fix. Apple has to follow copyright laws. Digital goods are, in some ways, more tightly controlled than their analog counterparts. You're buying the book in the airport shop. Anything you download from the iBook Store, you are licensing, not buying. It may seem like a distinction without a difference but, from a legal standpoint, it's quite different. You can legally sell or give away that book. You can't do that with books from the iBook Store.

ethereality wrote:

Your comment, although appreciated, does not justify Apple recommending an iBook to me and then refusing me access to it.

The information in the tour is probably based on the language. It sounds as if you're taking what's probably a glitch rather personally. You can let Apple know about it here:

Product Feedback - Apple

As King_Penguin initially stated what country or countries a particular publication is available in is up to the publishers/rights-holders. Clearly, this item was only available in the US Store. So that's why you had to be in that store to purchase it. Whether it is free or not is completely beside the point.

Cheers,

GB

it's simply an oversight that they should correct

Have you contacted them about it ? Posting on here obviously won't achieve that.

Again, this is the 21st century;they should recognize that people travel and work in different countries now.

They also have to recognise copyright, distribution and various legalities related to digital content.

Seemed more like an explanation of what you need to do in order to be able to purchase the book rather than a comment. This is a user to user support forum, so we are here to answer technical questions, but not to justify what Apple does or does not do.

Cheers,

GB

Of course it’s not a ’design flaw’, it is working as it is designed to work and obviously as it has to work. Not sure why you think airports selling physical items is anything like digital stores licesning digital content.

ethereality wrote:

It's a design flaw to offer a book to someone they know isn't able to access it. I already told them I was in Japan, so they should have taken that into account in their introductory materials.

Did you buy the computer in the U.S.? Or in Japan?

ethereality wrote:

It's a design flaw to offer a book to someone they know isn't able to access it. I already told them I was in Japan, so they should have taken that into account in their introductory materials.

Well, I know it was difficult to deal with, but at least you weren't dying of thirst or hunger. It's certainly a difficult situation for you, but with perseverance, you will undoubtedly be as lucky as those survivors of mass shootings and barrel bombs. Hang in there - you will beat this thing....

GB

ethereality wrote:

It was purchased in Japan, by a Japanese vendor, and the installation already detected 'Japan' on the first setup screen. So it appears Apple has no excuse to proffer a US iBook to me during the introductory tour, that it's simply an oversight that they should correct: "He set the language to US English (or his Apple ID was established on a US computer prior to being signed in on this one), so he must be in the US." Again, this is the 21st century; they should recognize that people travel and work in different countries now.

Seriously, is this really that big a issue?