Business Oct 27, 2020
Sushi and canned coffee get unlikely boost from record-breaking ‘Demon Slayer’ movie
Promotional tie-ins with the hit film have boosted Kura Sushi and Dydo's sales.
Business Oct 26, 2020
'Demon Slayer' fastest movie to rake in ¥10 billion in Japan
Fans are watching closely to see if the movie will overtake "Spirited Away" as the highest grossing Japanese movie in history.
Our Lives Oct 26, 2020
‘We just have to work hard to make informed decisions and keep things moving’
by Naché Buie
When the global pandemic hit Japan, the nation’s residents were asked to #stayhome to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. And a lot of us were at risk of going stir-crazy. To deal with the so-called aratana nichijō (new normal) we were encouraged to ...
Entertainment News Oct 21, 2020
Pitt's 'Fight Club' jacket, 'Pretty Woman' boots up for sale in memorabilia auction
by Hanna Rantala
Film fans will have the chance to get their hands on the thigh-high patent leather boots worn by Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" or Tom Cruise's "Top Gun" bomber jacket when nearly 1,000 items of movie memorabilia go on sale in an auction in ...
Business Oct 13, 2020
As cinemas struggle worldwide, Japan’s movie king Toho nears new high
by Gearoid Reidy and Shoko Oda
The firm, which owns theaters and also produces movies, has seen its stock recover 45% from its March low.
Film Oct 10, 2020
Disney says it had to work with Chinese government on ‘Mulan’
Walt Disney Co. defended its cooperation with government entities accused of human-rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region, saying the company had to work with the government in order to make films there. "There are regulations that must be followed by all foreign film production companies ...
Entertainment News Oct 8, 2020
As Cineworld closes its theaters, Japan’s Toho on a upward trajectory
by Gearoid Reidy and Shoko Oda
While global cinemas are reeling from the coronavirus and delays to “Dune” and the latest James Bond release, shares of Japan’s biggest movie company are climbing back toward a record high as the world’s third-largest movie market slowly returns to normal.
Film Sep 27, 2020
Award-winning actress Yuko Takeuchi dies in apparent suicide
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has launched an investigation. No suicide note has been found.
Film Sep 12, 2020
U.S. lawmakers press Disney chief about Xinjiang links to ‘Mulan’
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers have asked Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek to explain the company’s contacts with "security and propaganda authorities” in the Xinjiang region of China during production of the live-action version of "Mulan.” After it was learned that ...
Film Sep 9, 2020
Why calls to boycott 'Mulan' over concerns about China are growing
by Amy Qin and Edward Wong
Disney’s live-action remake of "Mulan” has drawn a fresh wave of criticism for being filmed partly in Xinjiang, the region in China where Uighur Muslims have been detained in mass internment camps. The outcry, which has spread to include U.S. lawmakers, was the latest example ...
Business Sep 9, 2020
'Mulan' reboot, once a sure thing, becomes a headache for Disney
It was supposed to be another $1 billion blockbuster for Walt Disney Co. — a live-action remake of a 1998 animated hit featuring an all-star Asian cast, breathtaking cinematography and plenty of martial arts. Instead, the new "Mulan” is proving to be a political hot ...
Film Sep 8, 2020
'Mulan' movie boycott calls grow over scenes filmed in Xinjiang
Disney's live-action "Mulan" remake is facing fresh boycott calls after it emerged some of the blockbuster's scenes were filmed in China's Xinjiang region, where widespread rights abuses against the region's Muslim population have been widely documented. The lavish $200 million film about a legendary female ...