If you don't have a balance on your itunes account you can simply change to the Japanese store, download what you want, and switch back.  On your idevice, go to your settings.  Under the iTunes options you will see your Apple ID, and if you click and it a then select the first option at the next prompt (sorry, forgot what it is) you can change your country/region and therefore your store.
You will need a Japanese address to complete the form, so have one handy.  I just google a museum in Tokyo and use it's address and phone number.
They may have changed this by now, but in the past I wasn't able to get updates for some of my apps while I had the other region selected ('Kno' was a specific app that I remember failed to update) so you may have to flip flop a lot, which can be a pain since you have to re-enter payment info each time.

P.S.  Been here for 3 or 4 years, and this is the first time I actually felt I had something to say, lol.  Strong lurker.

Last edited by amaethon2000 (2013 April 14, 6:15 am)

amaethon2000 wrote:

If you don't have a balance on your itunes account you can simply change to the Japanese store, download what you want, and switch back.  On your idevice, go to your settings.  Under the iTunes options you will see your Apple ID, and if you click and it a then select the first option at the next prompt (sorry, forgot what it is) you can change your country/region and therefore your store.
You will need a Japanese address to complete the form, so have one handy.  I just google a museum in Tokyo and use it's address and phone number.
They may have changed this by now, but in the past I wasn't able to get updates for some of my apps while I had the other region selected ('Kno' was a specific app that I remember failed to update) so you may have to flip flop a lot, which can be a pain since you have to re-enter payment info each time.

P.S.  Been here for 3 or 4 years, and this is the first time I actually felt I had something to say, lol.  Strong lurker.

Thanks for the reply but it seems you need a valid Japanese credit card to join now.