The AppleCare protection plan for the MacBook Pro is slightly less expensive in Japan right now than in the U.S. because of changing yen/dollar rates.

In the U.S. it’s $249 which is ¥25,452. In Japan it’s ¥24,800.

I always get the protection plan because 100% of everything I’ve ever bought from Apple needs repairs. My theory is they create these wonderfully-designed devices in spotless high-tech clean rooms and then throw the parts out into some dark, Chinese back alley where low-wage children put them together with glue.

So I’m going ahead and getting it before my trip to the U.S.