Amazon said that developers can submit apps to its portal for distribution in Japan later this year.

The company described this as “another significant addition to Amazon’s complete end-to-end platform for developers looking to build, market and monetise their apps and games”.

The online retailer launched its first store in the US last year, and has subsequently expanded this to include the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain.

It said that its “merchandising, personalisation and recommendation technologies are enabling developers to attract even more customers”.

It also noted: “Amazon’s developers have reported strong monetisation from the apps they have distributed, by incorporating services like In-App Purchasing and Amazon’s secure, 1-Click purchasing.”

For new developers, the company has said it will waive the first year’s fees for membership of its Amazon Mobile App Distribution Portal.

It has not given a firm date for its Japanese launch.

“Many of our existing developers are anxious to localise their apps and games for Japanese consumers, and we look forward to working with new developers that have been waiting for a chance to bring their Japanese content to the Amazon platform,” said Jim Adkins, VP of the Amazon Appstore.