Amazon cuts - HD 8.9 price, sends it to Europe, Japan

The $299 Kindle is now available in the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. In the U.S., Amazon lowers the starting price to $269.

Amazon is launching its Kindle Fire HD 8.9 in Europe and Japan today, which means a lower price for the tablet in the U.S., the company announced.

In the U.S., the Wi-Fi version now starts at $269 and the 4G device starts at $399. Customers in the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan can purchase the 8.9-inch screen Kindle tablet for the original cost: $299 for the Wi-Fi version and $499 for the 4G version.

Amazon Kindle Vice President Dave Limp said in a press release that the company "is thrilled with customer reaction" to the tablet.

"As we expand Kindle Fire HD 8.9" to Europe and Japan, we've been able to increase our production volumes and decrease our costs," he said in the release. "Across our business at Amazon, whenever we are able to create cost efficiencies like this, we want to pass the savings along to our customers."