Many thanks for the replies, especially those with Japan buying experiences.
I think some think that buying from Japan is illegal or that their version isn't the same or up to spec as the US version, they are different voltage hence the step down unit. There are pros and cons to going this route I know. Don't know what I may do BUT it is pretty hard not to look into it at least.
I mean you go on ebay and Luxman is about half the price....with free shipping.