On February 26, PC peripheral maker Buffalo announced it will end sales of its Blu-ray Disc drives as of July. The company made the decision clear: 「後継機種はございません」 (koukei kishu wa gozaimasen) — “There will be no successor model.”
For many Japanese consumers, that short sentence signals the quiet end of an era.
Buffalo to End Blu-ray Drive Sales
Buffalo, a Tokyo-based manufacturer of PC周辺機器 (shuuhen kiki, peripheral devices), revealed that it will discontinue several external Blu-ray drives in July. The official wording states that sales will end 7月をもって (shichi-gatsu o motte) — “as of July.”
The models affected are three PC-oriented 外付けドライブ (sotozuke doraibu, external drives):
- BRXLPT6U3Eシリーズ
- BRXLPTV63Bシリーズ
- BRXLPTWOU3シリーズ
The company also noted that the exact timing of the 販売終了 (hanbai shuuryou, end of sales) may change 受注状況により (juchuu joukyou ni yori) — depending on order conditions.
In other words, if orders increase or decrease, the final sales date could shift slightly.
Why Is Blu-ray Disappearing?
Blu-ray Discs became widely used in the mid-2000s as large-capacity media for PCs. At that time, they were essential for backing up large files, storing video, and distributing software.
However, the demand has declined due to:
- Increasing storage capacity of SSDs
- The spread of online storage services
As a result, optical drives are less often 標準搭載 (hyoujun tousai, pre-installed as standard equipment) in PCs.
In the audiovisual field, Blu-ray recorders were widely used from around 2003 for TV recording, and Blu-ray movie discs became common around 2006. But here too, ストリーミング配信 (sutoriimingu haishin, streaming distribution) has reduced the market size.
Earlier this month, on February 9, Sony announced the 出荷終了 (shukka shuuryou, end of shipments) for all of its BD recorder models. Buffalo’s decision fits into this broader industry shift.
Cultural Context: From Physical Media to Streaming
Japan was once a stronghold of physical media. DVD and Blu-ray sales remained comparatively resilient for years, especially in anime, movies, and TV recordings. Japanese electronics stores used to dedicate entire floors to recorders and disc media.
But even in Japan, consumer behavior has changed.
The shift from physical discs to streaming mirrors a global trend. What’s interesting linguistically is how Japanese keeps the English roots in katakana:
- Blu-ray → ブルーレイ
- Drive → ドライブ
- Streaming → ストリーミング
Technology vocabulary in Japanese is often written in katakana, reflecting its imported origins. Recognizing these patterns can dramatically improve your reading speed.
Learn Japanese from This Article
Let’s turn this tech news into a Japanese lesson.
Key Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 周辺機器 | shuuhen kiki | peripheral devices |
| 外付けドライブ | sotozuke doraibu | external drive |
| 販売終了 | hanbai shuuryou | end of sales |
| 後継機種 | koukei kishu | successor model |
| 標準搭載 | hyoujun tousai | standard (pre-installed) |
| ストリーミング配信 | sutoriimingu haishin | streaming distribution |
| 出荷終了 | shukka shuuryou | end of shipments |
Notice how many business and tech terms use 終了 (shuuryou, “end/termination”). It’s common in formal announcements.
Grammar Spotlight ①: 〜をもって
Structure: [Time] + をもって
Meaning: “As of…” / “Effective…”
Example from the article:
- 7月をもって販売を終了する。 Shichi-gatsu o motte hanbai o shuuryou suru. Sales will end as of July.
More examples:
本日をもって閉店します。 Honjitsu o motte heiten shimasu. We will close as of today.
3月末をもって退職します。 San-gatsu matsu o motte taishoku shimasu. I will resign at the end of March.
This expression appears frequently in official notices.
Grammar Spotlight ②: 〜により
Structure: [Noun] + により
Meaning: “Depending on…” / “Due to…”
Example from the article:
- 受注状況により、販売終了時期は前後することがある。 Juchuu joukyou ni yori, hanbai shuuryou jiki wa zengo suru koto ga aru. Depending on order conditions, the end date may vary.
More examples:
- 天候により、試合は中止になる場合があります。 Tenkou ni yori, shiai wa chuushi ni naru baai ga arimasu. Depending on the weather, the game may be canceled.
This pattern is common in formal writing and announcements.
Useful Expression
後継機種はございません。 Koukei kishu wa gozaimasen. “There is no successor model.”
The use of ございません instead of ありません makes the sentence more polite and business-like — typical of corporate announcements in Japan.
Continue Learning
Working on your reading skills? Our Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese lesson is a great next step.
To understand more about tech, explore our Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties lesson.
To strengthen your reading foundation, check out Reading and Writing in Japanese II: Hiragana and Katakana.
Blu-ray’s decline isn’t just a tech story — it’s a language lesson about how Japan adapts global innovation and how formal Japanese communicates change.
These small phrases — 販売終了, 出荷終了, 後継機種はございません — are the kinds of expressions you’ll see again and again in real Japanese news.
Keep reading, and you’ll start recognizing them instantly.
これからもよろしくお願いします。 Kore kara mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.