So the iPhone 2.0 is finally out and Japanese gadget fiends will get the device on July 11th, like the rest of the world--much earlier than SoftBank’s cryptically brief press announcement indicated. But underlying all the hubbub of the iPhone coming to Japan, a major scoop uncovered by the guys at TechRadar went largely unnoticed. According to the report, contrary to the "we don't really care" stance Docomo has taken regarding the device in public, the company was actually desperate to nab the iPhone contract right up until the eleventh hour. In an exclusive interview Docomo's Shuichiro Ichikoshi revealed, "The iPhone is attractive and appeals to certain Apple fans, so we have made efforts to introduce it but, as you know, Softbank has announced its deal..."

When asked about the rumors that the iPhone might be rolled out by more than one carrier in Japan, Ichikoshi said, "No - we will not be introducing the iPhone... for now." Although some naysayers are opining that the iPhone will flop in Japan, the mystique surrounding the device along with the fact that its release in July comes right around bonus time for many Japanese companies puts the iPhone in a position to do quite well in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Via TechRadar