Found this item on an email from Global Traveler:
Although Dec. 25 is not a national holiday in Japan, "Christmas Chicken" has become a widespread tradition. According to KFC, the custom took hold in 1970 when an ex-pat family complained to the KFC staff in Nagoya (the chain's first outlet in Japan) about how difficult it was to find turkey, perhaps the most iconic American holiday dish, in Japan. KFC marketing gurus seized the opportunity and launched Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii! (Kentucky for Christmas!) in 1974, a promotional campaign featuring chicken and wine for 2,920 yen ($10). This year, the KFC's Christmas family meal - with a Japanese-style cake and champagne included - costs about 3,336 yen ($40). Some Japanese families order their KFC Christmas meals months in advance, while others wait outside KFC for as long as two hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.