The PlayStation 4 has launched in Japan after a lengthy delay.

Sony has finally released the PlayStation 4 in its home country after the console was first launched in North America on Nov. 15. The console launch in Japan was met with a massive celebration featuring Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) CEO Andrew House, SCE Asia president Hiroshi Kono, and SCE president of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida. Livestream coverage of the launch was also provided by Sony.

With the inclusion of Japan, the PlayStation 4 is now available in 49 different countries. The console has sold 5.3 million units worldwide since launch, and that figure will most likely spike after the console's sales figures from the Japanese launch are tallied. The Xbox One has sold around 3 million units since its November release, but the console is only currently available in 13 countries.

At the same time as the PlayStation 4 is becoming available in Japan, one Sony executive revealed that the console will continue to be in short supply for several more months.

"I can't work it out precisely. But based on what I've seen so far, I think it is going to be tricky until around about April," PlayStation UK managing director Fergal Gara told MCV. "You might get a fortnight or a week here or there where it is more available, but we should be back to free supply by about April."

What Gara means by free supply is the customer's ability to simply walk into a retailer and buy a PlayStation 4 without difficulty. That is impossible in many locations throughout the world as both physical and online retailers are sold out of the console and fans must constantly look and find out who has received a new shipment of the console and scramble to secure their own. Once users are able to pick up the PlayStation 4 without any problems the console's sales numbers could rise even faster than they have been.