March 9^th, 2002 (12:00am) - Japanese retail chains Laox and Sakuraya have decided to suspend all sales of Microsoft’s Xbox console due to complaints regarding defective products. Specifically, the initial shipment of Japanese Xbox consoles are being blamed for scratching game discs. Despite the moratorium on console sales, Laox and Sakuraya are both still selling Xbox software. Together, both retailers have approximately 150 locations across Japan. While Microsoft has acknowledged the scratching problem, an official hardware recall hasn’t been issued. Rather, Microsoft has chosen to handle replacements on an individual case basis. According to company representatives, Microsoft has received 588 complaints from Japanese consumers to date. When asked about the decision to stop Xbox hardware sales by the aforementioned two retail chains, Microsoft executives in Asia refused comment. Below is a picture taken inside a Laox location with a sign informing customers of the decision to cease Xbox sales.

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