Feb 8 (Reuters) - BlackBerry will stop selling smartphones in Japan, partly because the company cannot justify the cost of modifying its operating system to accommodate the Japanese language, the Nikkei business daily reported.

BlackBerry's market share in Japan has shrunk to 0.3 percent from 5 percent, the daily said.

BlackBerry could not be immediately reached for comment.

The company, which changed its name from Research In Motion when it launched its new BlackBerry 10 smartphones a week ago, will continue to offer support to existing users, the Nikkei said.

(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Supriya Kurane) Keywords: BLACKBERRY JAPAN/

(sayantani.ghosh@thomsonreuters.com)(within U.S. +1 646 223 8780, outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800)(Reuters Messaging: sayantani.ghosh.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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