Gary Littleton wrote:
> Does anyone have a good site they use for checking japanese releases?

http://www.hmv.co.jp/

(or in English: http://www.hmv.co.jp/index.asp?lang=en )

Also http://japanlive.blogspot.com/ which is "a journal about Japan's 
independent rock scene" by Ken McCallum.

Happy hunting. :)

-Farrar Hudkins