Japanese account can't obtain license for Japanese exclusive app

[lennier1]

What happened?

While I am physically in the USA, I have an Apple account for the Japan region. I verified today that the account can still download Japanese exclusive apps, both by using the App Store on an iPhone signed into the account to install an app, and by using the account on iTunes 12.6.5.3 on Windows to download an .ipa file. Running on a MacBook Air logged into the same Japanese account, I can authenticate the account with ipatool, use ipatool to obtain licenses for non region-locked apps, and use ipatool to download region-locked apps I already have a license for. However, if I try to obtain a license for a Japan region-locked app, using the -c jp flag, I get the message "The country provided does not match with the account you are using". Why won't ipatool accept this as a Japanese account? I tried setting the MacBook's region to Japan, as well as connecting through a Japanese VPN, but it didn't make a difference.

Version

1.1.2

Relevant log output

ipatool download -b jp.co.jbc.Ansapo -c jp --purchase --log-level debug

==> ℹ️	[Info] Authenticated as '[redacted]'.

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating iTunes client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Querying the iTunes Store for 'jp.co.jbc.Ansapo' in country 'jp'...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Found app: アン-サポ (2.4.3).

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating App Store client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Requesting a signed copy of '666614433' from the App Store...

==> 🛠	[Debug] invalidLicense

==> ℹ️	[Info] License is missing.

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating App Store client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Obtaining a license for '666614433' from the App Store...

==> 🛠	[Debug] invalidCountry

==> ❌	[Error] The country provided does not match with the account you are using. Supply a valid country using the "--country" flag.

[majd]

Could you try setting the country code in uppercase? JP in your example instead of jp.

[lennier1]

I actually get a different error if I use uppercase JP. It keeps saying it's obtained a license, but then says I don't have a license. Example output follows. I don't know if this makes a difference, but it's an old account that doesn't use 2FA.

First, I tried to download and purchase in the same command:

 ipatool download -b jp.co.jbc.Ansapo -c JP --purchase --log-level debug

==> ℹ️	[Info] Authenticated as '[redacted]'.

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating iTunes client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Querying the iTunes Store for 'jp.co.jbc.Ansapo' in country 'JP'...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Found app: アン-サポ (2.4.3).

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating App Store client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Requesting a signed copy of '666614433' from the App Store...

==> 🛠	[Debug] invalidLicense

==> ℹ️	[Info] License is missing.

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating App Store client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Obtaining a license for '666614433' from the App Store...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Obtained a license for '666614433'.

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating App Store client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Requesting a signed copy of '666614433' from the App Store...

==> 🛠	[Debug] invalidLicense

==> ❌	[Error] Your Apple ID does not have a license for this app. Use the "purchase" command or the "--purchase" to obtain a license.

Next, I tried to purchase in a separate command. This reports that it works, but as you'll see later, I couldn't actually download it:

ipatool purchase -b jp.co.jbc.Ansapo -c JP --log-level debug

==> ℹ️	[Info] Authenticated as '[redacted]'.

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating iTunes client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Querying the iTunes Store for 'jp.co.jbc.Ansapo' in country 'JP'...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Found app: アン-サポ (2.4.3).

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating App Store client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Obtaining a license for '666614433' from the App Store...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Obtained a license for '666614433'.

==> ℹ️	[Info] Done.

Then, I tried to just download it, but despite seemingly having just gotten a license, it says I don't have one:

ipatool download -b jp.co.jbc.Ansapo -c JP --log-level debug           

==> ℹ️	[Info] Authenticated as '[redacted]'.

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating iTunes client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Querying the iTunes Store for 'jp.co.jbc.Ansapo' in country 'JP'...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Found app: アン-サポ (2.4.3).

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating HTTP client...

==> 🛠	[Debug] Creating App Store client...

==> ℹ️	[Info] Requesting a signed copy of '666614433' from the App Store...

==> 🛠	[Debug] invalidLicense

==> ❌	[Error] Your Apple ID does not have a license for this app. Use the "purchase" command or the "--purchase" to obtain a license.

[peak-load]

I confirm the same issue.

[majd]

Can you please try the latest RC build and see if the issue is resolved? https://github.com/majd/ipatool/releases/tag/v2.0.0-rc.2

Note that you no longer need to provide the --country flag when search for, downloading or purchasing apps.

[lennier1]

Yes, this seems to work now. Thanks!