Method and sources

What is compared

• The same product, sold new by the maker or its official store in both countries.
• Japan: the official price including 10% consumption tax. US: the official list price before sales tax.
• Where Japan sells a region-locked version (for example a Japanese-language-only console), it is listed separately and the like-for-like model is compared with the US.

How the numbers are worked out

• Japan in dollars = Japan price ÷ the day's yen per dollar.
• Japan vs US = Japan in dollars ÷ US price − 1. Negative means cheaper in Japan.
• Tax-free = the same, with the Japan price before consumption tax (visitors taking goods home usually pay this).
• Even at = Japan price ÷ US price: the yen per dollar at which both prices match.
• Shipping, import duty, card fees and store discounts are left out.

Sources

• Every price links to its source and shows the date it was checked. List price changes are recorded with the date they ended, so past days use the price that applied then.
• Exchange rates: daily market rates from fawazahmed0/exchange-api (public domain), one snapshot per calendar day.

Limits

List prices are not street prices: shops in either country may sell for less. Models can differ in bundled accessories or power supply; the notes on each product say so where it matters.