On Thursday, the latest statistics released by research firm BCN revealed that the sales of the Google Nexus 7 tablet beat those of the Apple iPad in Japan during the profitable holiday shopping season; with price apparently being the key factor that affected the sales figures of both the devices.

The data released by BCN was based on an electronics store calling campaign which was held all across Japan, for ascertaining the sales of tablets as 2,400 retail outlets in the country during the lucrative December shopping season.

According to the BCN data, the sales of the Google Nexus 7 during the holiday season in Japan helped the tablet grab 44.4 percent of the market in December; thereby outperforming the sales of the Apple iPad, which had a 40.1 percent market share during the month.

The BCN statistics came as a surprise because the iPad has been the best-selling tablet in Japan ever since its 2010 launch in the country. At the beginning of the year 2012, Apple boasted a Japanese market share of nearly 50 percent, which further increased to almost 70 percent when Apple launched its fourth-generation iPad in March 2012.

It is believed that the `cost' factor played a major role in driving the sales of Nexus 7 in Japan; especially since the tablet costs 19,800 yen (nearly $224) for a 16GB model, while a comparable 16GB version of the iPad Mini is priced at 28,800 yen (almost $326).