Please help! I used to be able to switch fairly easily between regions on my iPad, and used the Honto website and app to get ebooks from Japan. Now I can’t seem to do it anymore, can’t update the Honto app (even though it’s free! - not available in my region!) and so can’t buy any new eBooks. Has anyone else solved this problem? I’m so frustrated with trying to switch, and have looked at different advice on the forums, but nothing seems to work.
If you do have a solution, please keep the steps as simple as possible! Otherwise it will all go horribly wrong…
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I have zero experience with eBooks or iPads so I don’t really know why I’m responding 
but have you tried any alternative vendors? I don’t know that they all have region-locking so you might have more luck.
BookLive
eBookJapan
BookWalker
I get that it’s annoying having to change supplier though…
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Hi, haven’t tried it myself, but most people get around geo-restrictions by installing a VPN on their device so the iPad thinks that you’re in Japan (Or any country you select).
There are many VPN services that let you try for free for the first few weeks.
The techspeak can get a bit complicated when you’re not tech-savvy, but you can always give it a try.
If the iPad ebookjapan app is anything like the Android one, you will need a VPN to get it outside Japan. I only had to use it to create the Google Play account and get the app, though. After that it was smooth sailing.
Another option to download ebookjapan app is using qooapp and register a yahoo.co.jp id. Afterwards, you can use ebookjapan app without using VPN whatsoever. Purchasing books is also convenient too.
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I don’t know if you use Amazon.jp but your delivery address has to be in Japan. Even if you never order anything physical and only buy ebooks, this is a requirement. The good news is, you can just use any valid address in Japan because they’re not going to check if you live there.
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You can order on https://www.amazon.co.jp/ but you might need a free physical address like @plantron plantron says and you can get it for free here Forwarding service connecting overseas customers and Japanese online stores [tenso.com]. That’s what I do for my novels and manga.
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Hi guys, thanks to everyone who replied. I’m sorry I didn’t make myself clear in the original post. The problem is specific to changing my Apple ID on my iPad. I used to be able to switch easily between regions and IDs, but now I can’t.
This means that I can’t download any of the Japanese region reader apps, and can’t even update my old Honto app, so can’t buy any new books (I can still read my old books on the old version of the app, but it won’t let me download new purchases to the old-version app).
Using a VPN doesn’t address this problem as I still have to use the Japanese App store, which then detects (from my iPad) my non-Japanese Apple ID.
I really would like some advice from any iPad users living outside of Japan who have solved this problem, thanks, but thank you again to everyone who has already replied.
Otherwise I’ll have to look at getting an Android device which seems much easier all around…
I am also using two Apple ID‘s on my phone, but haven’t had any trouble with the App Store not logging in into my Japanese account… how did you usually switch accounts? By logging out and in again directly in the App Store app? Does it show any sort of error message when you try that, or any other indication why it won’t login into your Japanese account?
Regarding the app update; are you maybe trying to update the app while logged into the wrong Apple ID? Then it won’t let you update it, you have to change accounts first.
I just use BookWalker as I don’t need a VPN. May not be cheapest, but I find it to be one of the easiest to buy Japanese language manga and books.
Bookwalker buy with paypal, tons of free japan books, novels and manga. For the whole world! just a tad expensive…
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