Japanese musicians under contract with Sony and other labels that haven't joined Apple's iTunes Music Store are starting to defy their recording companies and trying to get their music on the popular download service launched last week in Japan.

At least one artist has already gone against his label to offer his songs on iTunes. And a major agency that manages Japanese musicians said Wednesday it was interested in a possible deal with Apple Computer Inc., regardless of the recording companies' positions.

Online music stores had not taken off in Japan until iTune's arrival last Thursday, which opened with a million songs from 15 Japanese record labels.

Rock musician Motoharu Sano, who has a recording contract with Sony, is making some of his songs available on iTunes, according to his official Web page.

"It is an individual's freedom where that person chooses to listen to music. I want to deliver my music wherever my listeners are," Sano was quoted as saying by Japan's top business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun Wednesday.

Full Article

---