The Xbox 360 and Japan? Sorry, but no matter how much huffing and puffing Microsoft executives might indulge in, those kids just weren’t meant for each other.

Yet even though the relationship is ultimately doomed, supporters of the 360 can at least revel in the fact that Halo 3 has gone straight in at number one on the Japanese sales charts - the first Xbox 360 game to reach such giddy heights. Bungie’s shooter sold 59,000 units last week, meaning around half of Japan’s 360-owning populace picked up a copy. The game’s success comes on the back of a resounding 37/40 from Japanese gaming mag Famitsu.

Blue Dragon was the most recent 360 title to make an impact on Japanese consumers, when it reached fourth in the sales charts earlier this year, while Gears of War managed to take seventh place back in January.

Again though, let’s not get too excited here. After all, it’s difficult to claim that Halo 3’s victory is a permanent ray of hope for Microsoft’s machine over there; at best, it’s surely a very, very narrow chink - maybe even a scintilla - of light. GamerSquad: always around when you need a mood deflating. It’s what we do.

This week’s Japanese top ten, courtesy of Media Create:

1. Halo 3 (Xbox 360)
2. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Toki (DS)
3. Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)
4. Tamagotchi DS (DS)
5. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Yami (DS)
6. Bleach Blade Battlers 2nd (PS2)
7. English Test 2 (DS)
8. Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX (PSP)
9. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3)
10. Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops + (PSP)