MiniDisc Growth in Japan

Excerpted from Sharp's MD-MS200 page: MD players are rapidly increasing in demand among the younger generation, and the market has entered a full-scale growth era. The increase in demand can be contributed to the versatility of portable record/playback MD players. In homes, they can be used as an MD component for stereo systems; outdoors, as a headphone MD player; and in automobiles, as a car MD player.

Excerpted from Sony's MZ-E30/E50 page: In 1995 approximately 1,080,000 MD machines and 10,000,000 blank discs were sold in Japan. Sony estimates that in 1996, 2,500,000 machines and 25,000,000 blanks will be sold.

Comments from Eric Woudenberg: Every major audio manufacturer in Japan currently offers several models of MiniDisc equipment, and MD gear can be found in all but the smallest appliance stores. Blank MiniDiscs are widely available, even hanging in the racks next to audio cassettes and 8mm video tape at the local convenience stores.

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