Microsoft Japan’s Yoshihiro Maruyama has confirmed to Mainichi Newspapers that the Xbox 360 will launch in Japan this December.

With both the PlayStation 3 and Revolution set to hit store shelves in Japan sometime in 2006, the planned December launch will give Microsoft an early start and possibly an initial boost in sales in the next generation of console wars.

No specific details such as a release date and price have been announced for Xbox 360.

Ramzy Philip