I don't believe this really, they are so rich, so why wouldn't they take the risk and get FFXIII excl. on their platform, if it was really an option for Square? Cause maybe they wouldn't all of a sudden sell millions of 360's in Japan, but it would help pave the way for another try with the next Xbox in Japan. But why would Square sell out? Of course money is important, but at some point artists and developers want people to enjoy there games, so taking money and seeing your biggest game played by only a million people in Japan can't be what they have in mind. 

To tell the truth, both HD consoles are dead in Japan. It's no coincidence that Japanese developers are the first to start shifting support to the Wii. If your game only (or mostly) appeals to Japanese gamers, there's no justification to make it PS3 or 360, as Sega has already learned with Yakuza 3.

There's no way a Japanese-oriented game can be profitable on the HD consoles.

they should the games the got so far didnt help them so they shoud stay with the markets the sold pretty good in so far.

360 is dead even with all those JRPG's,but the PS3 hasn't had a single game that would appeal to the Japenese mass market."There's no way a Japanese-oriented game can be profitable on the HD consoles."?? Well MGS4 disagrees.Its already shown strong pre-order numbers.

That's where your absolutley wrong , the PS3 managed to sell 2.11 million consoles with minimal software support , the only big exclusive i remember being released there was GT5:P.

Yakuza 3 wouldn't have sold systems on any console , it may have done better on the Wii but it still woudln't have been anythign amazing. With games like MGS4 reported to have 200k pre-orders and games like Final Fantasy guaranteeing at least 1 million sales in Japan alone it's kinda ignorant for you to say that the PS3 is dead in Japan it's potential for success far exceeds that of the 360.

The PS3 does have games which appeal to the Japanese market, the problem is that none of them had great sales so far. MGS4 sells throughout the world, it's not a Japanese-only thing like, say, the Monster Hunter franchise.

These days Westerners play just as many JRPG's as the Japanese.  In the West, the Xbox 360's lead is still in the vicinity of six or seven million consoles over the west.

Remember that the only reason we care to debate the goings on of the gaming industry in that country is its effect on the West. 

Please forgive me when I say I have no idea what your talking about , software support for the PS3 (which apeal the japanesse) is mininal . If the PS3 had the 360s line up of Japanese games then I wouldn't be able to argue

Starcraft said : 

These days Westerners play just as many JRPG's as the Japanese. In the West, the Xbox 360's lead is still in the vicinity of six or seven million consoles over the west. PR = (anecdotal evidence + unfounded statistical information)   Where are you getting this 6 to 7 million figure from ?

Remember that the only reason w e care to debate the goings on of the gaming industry in that country is its effect on the West.I wonder , would you be saying that if the 360 wasn't an utter faliure in japan ?

It would appear that Lost Odyssey is profitable based on its sales.

But you will find that MGS4 isn't Japan-orientated at all.  IF you look at past sales of the series, you can see its never broken a million in Japan. 

Well, that's too bad. The only reason I got a 360 was for the Japanese support. But 360 owners like me are probably only 2-4%. Their mainstream line-up (like Gears and Halo) just doesn't interest me at all, or I would rather just wait until they come to PC.