Napster said today it had opened an online song-distribution site in Japan to challenge Apple and popular music phones.
Napster Japan, a joint venture between America's Napster and Tower Records Japan, will introduce a service that allows members listen to and download an unlimited number of songs from its database of 1.5 million selections for 1,980 yen (€13) a month.
Users will also be able to transfer music to compatible music players.
Napster's challenge in Japan, along with other online music sites such as Apple's Itunes music store, is to expand in a market where more people download music directly onto mobile phones than to personal computers.
KDDI, the country's number two-ranked phone company, leads the market for wireless music download.
Napster users need to connect a special audio player to a PC to transfer files. Compatible players include some models made by Sony and Toshiba.
About 90 per cent of Napster Japan's lineup is music from outside Japan, and it aims to expand the number of local songs, said Hiroyuki Fushitani, president of Napster Japan and Tower Records.