Some people really don't think so.

That's the thesis of a Wall Street Journal article entitled "Arriving Late, Can BlackBerry Hook Japan's Mobile Market?" The article is timed with NTT DoCoMo's introduction of the BlackBerry 8707h in Japan today. That's RIM's Mike Lazaridis on the left, and an NTT DoCoMo exec on the right.

The piece discusses the Japanese market's unfamiliarity with BlackBerry, a lack of companies that sync email to enterprise systems, as well as the greater variety of functions that can be performed over Japan's robust cellular system than the functionality available to North American users.

And then there are @least a couple of cultural reasons.

"In Japan, people don't talk on cellphones in restaurants and in subway cars -- and rarely on subway platforms," writes the WSJ's Amy Chozick from Tokyo.

"They speak quietly while chatting on mobile phones in public. Tapping at a mobile phone in public is an accepted way to communicate without disturbing others," she adds.

"But in company -- say, at a sit-down dinner, at a concert or at a child's Little League game -- typing away on a BlackBerry could be frowned upon."

I wish there would be more of those manners-related best practices, well, practiced in North America.

As to the second cultural reason cited: important business deals are usually transacted in person.

"You're not going to close a deal via email," Chozick quotes Bret Sewell, chief executive officer of global wireless services provider Venturi Wireless, which is based in Sunnyvale, Calif. "That's going to be done late at night in some smoky restaurant."

To that I say, well yes, I have seen some deals closed late at night in smoky restaurants. But my preference would be smoke-free restaurants.

The BlackBerry 8707h will be coming to Japan carrier NTT DoCoMo this Tuesday. Unlike that song, "Turning Japanese," I don't only think so. I know so.

The initial focus will be on corporate users, who will have access not only to the device, but to a DoCoMo-offered BlackBerry Network Service.

Specs? You want specs? Well, like Bob Seger sings, "turn the page."

• Height x Width x Thickness- Approx. 110 x 69.5 x 19.5 mm
• Weight- Approx. 139.8 grams (including battery)
• Continuous Stand-by Time- W-CDMA (voice only): Up to 400 hours GSM: Up to 400 hours
• Continuous Talk Time- W-CDMA: Approx. 165 minutes. GSM: Approx. 300 minutes
• Communication Modes- 3G (W-CDMA) and GSM/GPRS
• Display- 320 x 240 dots, QVGA LCD, supports more than 65,000 colors
• External Interfaces- Bluetooth Ver.2.0 (supports headset, handsfree & serial port profile) mini USB connector (USB 2.0)
• Cameras- None
• User Interface- (Japanese Text Support) English (Japanese e-mail and web content are viewable. Text input in
  English.)
• Memory- 64MB RAM (flash)
• Input and Navigation- QWERTY keyboard and track wheel
• Main Applications- E-mailer, web browser and file viewer
• Main Accessories- Travel Charger, USB Cable, Standard Battery, Headset and Holster.