Originally Posted by
Merriweather
Yes, Japanese CDs are more pricey due to JASRAC's fees, so labels add bonus tracks to entice people to buy the Japan version versus a cheaper import. I'm sure they are better than Chinese or Taiwanese versions.
But they have gained this weird "ultimate" version status because some western buyers have decided that someone at a Japanese pressing plant is a better judge of audio quality than Jethro at a plant in Kentucky.
I'm not meaning to shitpost. I admit to having plenty of Japanese CDs and a couple SHM-CDs. Are they "better?" I don't know. So I wouldn't necessarily advocate for chasing down copies. Some people may think they're superior. Some may think that they're just CDs with Blu Ray coating. YMMV.