New York - Digital music retailer AmieStreet.com, where all songs start off free and increase in price as they increase in popularity, announced on Tuesday that it has launched a private beta test of a Japanese version of its service. The site is a joint venture with TurboLinux, and in addition to DRM-free MP3s will sell Japanese video anime and manga. A full public launch of the Japan site is set for the first quarter of 2008.

Tokyo - Turbolinux, a distributor of Linux-based software, said this week that its Japanese unit has partnered with digital music distributor Amie Street to launch a music download service in Japan for independent music, Billboard reported. New York-based Amie Street, where user demand is used to determine song pricing, will also take an undisclosed stake in the new Tokyo-based venture, to be called Amie Street Japan.