Tokyo International Film Festival got underway Monday, just hours after a general election delivered a reduced parliamentary mandate for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
But if Japanese voters once again demonstrated their political apathy, there are signs that Japanese audiences have maintained their appetite for the entertainment industry – and further signals that the Japanese screen industry is coping well with sector disruption.
After a strong recovery in 2023, moderate further growth of the theatrical box office is predicted for this year. One forecast put the year end total at $1.88 billion, cementing Japan as the world’s third largest cinema market.
More importantly for the overall health of the industry, local films continue to dominate. So far this year, Japanese movies account for nine of the top ten titles, headed by the $103 million-grossing “Detective Conan: The Billion Dollar Pentagram.” But what is good for Japanese producers has become a tougher market for Hollywood to penetrate.
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