Exclusives aren't any more expensive in Japan, only for us because of the need to use middlemen. No one there is thinking " darn, more exclusives!" and it doesn't account for the apparent lack of interest from US fans as well.
I'd been under the impression that they're sold at a higher price point. Is that not the case? Or is the cost increase relatively small for Japanese buyers?
If that's the case, then, yeah, that'd be a significant flaw in my argument. I'll admit I'm more than a little petulant about my growing realization that Bandai gave up on Sentai - both in Figuarts and Super Robot Chogokin - at roughly the same time I developed an interest in both.
On the upside, Kamen Rider seems to be doing fine, and my hope that they'll produce the (avoiding spoilers here) recently-announced arms for a particular central Gaim Rider is probably much more realistic than my Sentai-related hopes.