According to this Kotaku report, Microsoft's Bill Gates reckons Xbox 360's saving grace in Japan will be Live.

"Product share varies from country to country," he said in a Mainichi story.

"In the US and the UK, the share [of Xbox 360] is high, but besides Japan, there are other areas we haven't penetrated. From now on, I think the breakthrough's going to be the online service, and you'll be surprised if you look at that."

We're saying nothing.