Netflix to open 1st store in Japan in 2022

It's a good idea, and I'm interested to learn about how Netflix plans to open its own chain of movie theaters

It ust goes to show how insignificant a market Japan has become... just 5 million out of 200 million. Would have thought it would be more than that. Or perhaps not, since you can still rent DVDs and buy music CDs here....

It ust goes to show how insignificant a market Japan has become... just 5 million out of 200 million.

Which is exactly why..."Netflix said it came to a conclusion that it is necessary to increase exposure to customers in a real world setting for the company to continue growing in the Japanese market."

Just as it's taken quite a while to get the Japanese public to transition from paying with cash to cashless, it is taking a while to transition from hard media to streaming. And, providing a hard media bridge with physical merchandising may help speed it along. Or, maybe not. But, it's probably worth a shot.

Personally, I would suggest using traditional style movie trailers and TV commercials for their original movies and series. That would attract the attention of the folks who are used to traditional media, and interest them in this newfangled way of the future.

Of course, the main thing that they are missing is a proliferation of the HW required to watch streaming services like Netflix on TV's. Most people over 25, especially in Japan, don't want to watch movies and series on a tiny phone screen. They need to be pushing the FireTV, AppleTV, and GoogleTV devices, as well as Smart TV's with that capability built-in. (We have 2 Panasonic TV's with streaming apps built-in for JP content, and also a couple GoogleTV/AndroidTV devices with VPN apps for US and UK content.)

It would also be nice if Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime did what Netflix does with it's accounts and programming. With Netflix, if you have an account in one country, when you log in from another country, you can watch whatever is available in that country. IOW, if I login from Japan with my US account, I get whatever a JP subscriber would get. No need for separate accounts for each country.

Not so with Hulu, Disney, or Amazon. Hulu and Disney doesn't even work. And, Amazon only allows a very limited amount of content. Unnecessarily restrictive.

Netflix is great, really great, I just wish they'd show more UK shows here in Japan as pretty soon I'll have watched everything they've got!

If you use an Android-based Smart TV, an Android device like Fire TV or Google TV, or a PC/Mac, you can use a VPN app to connect to the Internet through a UK server, and be able to watch everything available on Netflix in the UK. It works with the BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub, as well.

I think they should show the history of Netflix, it seems everyone has forgotten it started as a DVD rental company via postal mail.

I think they should show the history of Netflix, it seems everyone has forgotten it started as a DVD rental company via postal mail.

I used to look forward to those red envelopes. (I've been a subscriber since 1998.)

Thanks so much for the advice, but this all sounds so technical! I wouldn't know where to start! I have a Firestick but don't know anything about VPN. This is the first I've heard of it. But thank you... I'll do some research!

Don't you have any IT-savvy friends? Even if you don't, some of the VPN services themselves have how-to and FAQ pages to help set it up on your device.

Just compare the VPN services before any long-term commitment with one. The prices and reviews can vary widely. But, once you're all set up, you'll really enjoy getting all that content you've been missing. It's a beautiful thing!

A store. Might be overkill, like too many tapioca shops. I think everyone loves Netflix fine without a store.