Downloads from Japan will be Taxed

[Demon_Skeith]

Physical goods imported into Japan are taxed. And according to the Japanese media, starting in 2015, foreign downloads will be as well.

Content such as digital music, e-books, apps, and games downloaded from foreign servers will levied with a consumption tax, reports Nikkei.

Going on info from government sources, Asahi, one of the largest papers in the country,explains that individuals in Japan who buy digital content from Amazon.com can get their content at a discount, because it's currently not taxed. Downloads, however, sold through domestic Japanese servers are taxed.

Thus, this has given foreign-based retailers an advantage—something about which Japanese vendors have complained. And next year, that means taxes for digital foreign goods.

source

that sucks.

 

[froggyboy604]

I wonder would this law increase the amount of piracy for digital downloads because people can't afford the extra sales taxes, or don't agree with the tax, and rather pirate than pay the tax.

 

[Kurairush]

Boo! Now it's going to be even more expensive to import games. Although... I wonder if this will affect all downloads from Japan, even the free ones?
Will this affect downloading mods for some PC games? Or is it just DLC for retail games that will be affected?