Microsoft has a chance with positioning. Depending on the longevity of the Wii, and how poorly the PS3 performs this year. That is justification enough for the short term. Were the Wii to run out of steam, and the PS3 to falter and lose international exclusivity there would be a small opening of opportunity. Sometimes all you need to do is coast in under the radar.

I think Lost Odysessy will sell some units in Japan seriously. Cause its more like FFXII but better.

Really I see little chance the PS3 catching the 360. 360 will have to have 30k and PS3 will have to sell 50k or 70k to surpass the 360 in every week.

Microsoft just better take advantage of the lead, they shouldn't worry about the Wii. The Wii is doing anything but helping Microsoft. IMO

Microsoft have made strides with the 360, which is positive. Becoming competitive in Japan is going to be a long-term thing however the 360 should sell at least two to three times what the Xbox sold in Japan so its moving in the right direction.

I know everyone thinks bad of MS in this way, but it's all Microsoft needs to win Japan:

Cash.

It's very simple. If MS wants Japan, they can have it. It's just a matter of time, and willingness to sink the required funding into the project.

If Microsoft sank 1 billion dollars into Japanese developers such as Capcom, Namco, Square-Enix, and bought a few smaller studios like Nippon Ichi, kept Mistwaker, and a few other studios, it'd just be a matter of time.

Despite people saying it, Japanese like the X360, and aren't xenophobic when it comes to American SYSTEMS. Now, games are a different story, but if a game plays the same on one system as another, but is cheaper (X360 vs. PS3), they will buy the cheaper - simple economics.

So if MS just spammed Japan with quality titles, it'd have what it wants.

Blue Dragon already proved it. It was a 2nd tier RPG that Mistwaker/Microsoft made, and wound up selling 200,000+ software units, and was responsible for 100,000 hardware units.

Likewise, Microsoft has had a great track record in Japan (only time anyone will say it) with having games that move hardware such as the DOA series, and Ninja Gaiden. The main issue, and only issue MS has, that we've seen and can confirm, is that these top-tier games are so few and far between (as evidenced with the Xbox 1), that with so few games, the bumps don't stay high for too long. However, if you have a decent bit of supporting software (which Xbox never had, but X360 is building), the jumps stay higher and higher. Playstation 3 is proving that too with MNG5 and Bladestorm.

So merely for MS is that it requires time and money. MS has money, and all it now takes is time - it's upto Microsoft to figure out if that's worth it to them or not. Hopefully, it is, because I want more JRPGs!

^Good analysis mrstickball, Microsoft has the cash to buy those games to be on the system, but they are waiting. Xbox 1 was their first time in the business and in Japan. Now that they are getting those Japanese RPG out for that crowd. Sales are doing better than what the original Xbox did in Japan.

I can expect Microsoft to have a FFXIII port sometime after the PS3 release and we will see a MGS4 after the PS3 release. I believe Microsoft is talking right now with the money.

Why wouldn't you just buy another system if you wanted JRPGs.  Seems silly to just wait and hope that the current system you have will somehow get them.  Fire Emblem comes out in Nov. and I can't wait to get it.  You'll be missing out on all the fun!!! 

If MS could spam any place with quality titles it would do much better and really, that's all any console needs: better games for it.

I don't see the 360 ever having a market in Japan. If steeling AAA titles from the PS3 doesn't make the 360 a success in Japan, I can't imagine much will.