Buying A Cartridge Direct From Japan

Dear Nikola,

The question was whether one can buy a cartridge directly from Japan?
One imagines that he means from a retailer as I don't believe anyone thinks they can buy directly from a manufacturer like.....Lyra, Audio Technica, Dynavector, ZYX, Koetsu, Clearaudio, Ortofon et al?
Therefore an "intermediary" (or Retailer) is implicit in the question?
I listed a number of intermediaries as well as a direct manufacturer (Jico).
Others may help with retailers who can deal with international customers....but my experience is that there are not so many?

On the other hand...lest we quickly forget. ... I refuse to do business with Japan or purchase any Japanese products as part of a personal boycott. I already have a glow in the dark t-shirt and I don't want a glow in the dark cartridge, esp. from a country that has contributed to the global pollution of the worlds oceans:

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/11/29/is-it-safe-radioactive-japanese-wave-nears-us/

Breeding grounds are just offshore. Don't eat the Ahi.

Dear Henry, My frustration with the Japanese is not accidental. Two years ago I try to contact Ogura for our common cause. That is to say that we would be able to
order by Axel micro ridge styli and boron cantilevers made by Ogura. I even consulted J. Carr and asked him for the address which he kindly provided. But my 5 emails were never answered. Carr warned me about 'communication in English' with Japanese. Now from the Chinese I bought this excelent Jasmine LP 2 phono-pre direct from the factory for $500. I got about 10 emails from them in this connection. That is I suppose why the Chinese have ecomomic growth of 12% each year while the Japanese are in recession for 15 years.
BTW you should ask our comrade Thuchan about Otomon , etc. intermediary.
Then my MIT 1 is only meant for my Slavic brothers (grin).
I am glad to hear that you enjoy the cart but my intention was that you should 'burn in' the cart because I have no patience for such kind of job (smile).

Hi Halco,

I also own one of, actually 2 of the MIT-1's. You are not premature with your assessment. I find it very difficult to remove it from rotation once I have it installed. It's one of those cartridges that make you think while laying in bed at night wishing you had remembered to play 'this record or that record' before you turned everything off. It is a stunning cartridge to say the least!
Regards,
Don

I see no advantages, other than a pricing one, for buying from japan directly. Case in point: I had a Shelter 501 mk2 that I had purchased in the US, and then on a business trip to Tokyo picked up another as a back up in the Akihabara district from an authorized Shelter dealer. The performance was identical in every way. There are no technical advantages in my opinion.