Quite often the country code differences are a matter of diode or jumper configuration of the rig's cpu.
Sometimes you can do a little web research and find out what the jumper differences are and indeed you can convert the "A" to function as an "E" etc. Many amateurs just do the "MARS" or open transmit mod, which means that you are the control operator and responsible for being on your band plan.
Sites around the web like this one can sometimes allow you to peruse these things and come to a fairly reliable conclusion about such mods:
http://www.ham.dmz.ro/kenwood/ts-2000.phpHowever, be advised that there are usually problems with Customer Service and Repair Under Warranty issues when one buys a rig from one country and attempts to get warranty service from another country division. They may tell you that they don't honor the A version's warranty in that country. This has happened to some hams in the past. If you are not able to send the rig back to the country of purchase for warranty claim, consider that kind of cost savings carefully. May not be such a great deal if the rig should need warranty service.
.
