i really dont think even games can turn the 360's fortunes around in japan. hell even if it had final fantasy exclusive in japan and it cost $1 for an entire week, the japanese still wouldnt take notice!

x360 sell bad in Japan because:

1) RROD.
2) It offers nothing, what PS3 can offer.
3) Don`t/won`t have big games like GT/FF/DQ/MGS.

^Also, x360 had Star Ocean 4:The Last Hope in Japan, that is pretty much big game in Japan.

This is why I avoid starting threads on my own.  My original numbers-and-dates-centric post has somehow triggered discussions of Japanese xenophobia and lists-of-games posts.

Japanese are smarter, than rest of the world. Here.

1 is certainly true the world over

2 is arguably true the world over

3 is very true in japan (it wont have GT/FF/DQ) It will have MGS though :P

It is not true in America, where it will have FF, DQ is niche and GT is less important. In America it then has halo, gears etc

I don't agree with the 'if western devs had half the skill that japanese devs do'. Have you ever played a Blizzard or Bioware game? Actually, talking about Bioware, they have a level of depth in their games that's just remarkable, I haven't seen a Japanese game come close to that yet.

And the quote I put in (not sure if you read the whole interview too) doesn't completely go towards your point. You just seem to somewhat sidestep the issue, that western games are not marketed well in Japan. In that quote, he says how people believe that what you are saying is true, that essentially the Japanese have a unique taste in games (compared to the rest of the world) and the Japanese developers cater to that. Wada himself directly denies that (he says 'But I believe that is not the case, it was just a matter of poorly executed marketing.')

Further, a recent study (I can't link it, I find it on Joystiq and that's blocked here) says that marketing goes a much further way for selling games than quality. It's all about commericalization and marketing.

@Solid, I think its feasible for MS to get a stronger hold in Japan, if it could partner up with a Japanese company and do some serious marketing/PR. Will this happen? Not very likely.

^So massively buying 54.2%-60% defective product is smart thing to do? I don`t think so.
But, that`s my opinion, with which Japanese agree with not buying many x360.

Also, for the rest of world, price difference between x360 and PS3 matters more, than for Japanese + x360 got some big games, that have western appeal. This helped in sales. 

So it goes though, right?

@kowenicki,

seconded. I'm kind of sick of the 'Japanese electronics/cars/games are superior on all levels' deal. The first part is pretty true, the second hardly (to not at all), and 3rd not at all (too subjective these days).

@ZorroX,

The newer xboxs don't have the same issues, so that's hardly a valid point anymore.

Good points there! I guess a lot of people will ask how they will take to Natal as well but with PS3 outselling Wii in Japan does that mean that the 'expanded audience' is losing interest in Japan? And also with the PSfanboys talking the RROD being the main issue about Japanese people not buying 360s, how come 360 is actually doing A LOT better than the original Xbox when that didn't have any problems?

@r505Matt,
in this case, what x360 offers more for Japanese gamers, than PS3?

Why would Japanese gamers buy x360 over PS3 today?