Apple CEO Tim Cook touched down in Japan on Tuesday, marking his inaugural official visit since December 2022. During his stay, he is scheduled to inspect the newly refurbished Apple retail outlet in Tokyo's Ginza district, which is set to reopen its doors this coming Friday. Cook emphasized the store's significant sentimental value to Apple.

Concurrently, Japan is poised to implement a new smartphone software competition law on December 18. Apple has raised objections to this legislation, citing potential security risks, and is presently engaged in discussions with Japan's Fair Trade Commission to address its concerns.

From a medium to long-term perspective, the Japanese market's influence on Apple's overall business is gradually diminishing. Currently, the Japanese market contributes a mere 6% to 8% of Apple's total global sales. In the second quarter of this year alone, Apple's smartphone shipment market share in Japan witnessed a year-on-year decline of 6.4 percentage points.

Furthermore, in recent times, Apple has displayed a growing tendency to extend invitations to influencers hailing from China and India for its product launch events.