Lens bought in Japan, but broke two weeks after getting home. Help!

[Timmy P]

So, since Australia is a right royal ripoff for panasonic goods, I purchased a Panasonic 20mm f1.7 lens at Yodobashi camera in Shinjuku, Toyko late September. A week after I return home to Australia the lens won't contact the camera bodies of either of my m4/3rds cameras.

I'm kind of in a bit of a pickle here, Yodobashi doesn't have an English website, the warranty card is totally in Japanese & I can't find any email addresses for either of the companies. Does anyone know the procedure for how I could contact these companies in English, so I can find out who to send the lens back too for warranty repair? Anyone with experience in this would be greatly appreciated!

I'm considering calling them but will anyone on the other end be able to answer my queries in English? Especially since the numbers listed say they're for Japanese residents only.

In the interim I have emailed Panasonic Australia asking for their help, but knowing some other companies procedures when dealing with international goods (It's from overseas, contact their office, can't help) I'm not holding my breath.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TWoK]

If you want you could mail it to me and I could turn it in to Panasonic for warranty repair/replacement. Shipping x 4 will probably be upwards of $50. Someone in Tokyo who can stop by Yodobashi might have better luck.

 

[TWoK]

Ahh, well maybe he's busy, who knows.

 

[JapanExposures]

Speak to Pana in Oz first. I am fairly optimistic that they will take care of it. Failing that, send it to one of us here and we'll deal with it for you. Relax. And now you know why it is not a bargain when buying at a lower price but without the assurance. It's a gamble, and most of the times you win - but not always...