Japan Zone reported a few days back on the latest idea for marketing CDs, with the release of the new 175R (Inago Rider) single coupled with a KitKat chocolate bar. The product is only on sale in convenience stores and supermarkets, not at regular music stores. But in its first week the single/snack has sold over 300,000 copies. Because of its unorthodox sales route, the single hasn’t been included in the official oricon chart, but the current No.1 single, Arashi’s “Sakura Sake” sold just 120,000 copies. Also, Arashi’s single retails for ¥1,680 while 175R’s “Grafitti” is just ¥315, including the KitKat! Other snack makers have sold CDs with their products, but always oldies or established hits. The success of the latest tieup may be due to its novelty value, but it may also signal a new way to combat declining CD sales.