Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

Film

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Monkey (not so) magic

“The biggest reason it failed was because of a lack of promotion. That, and it was a bit grotesque, with scenes featuring humans being devoured by dinosaurs and giant bugs.”

Movie critic Mutsuo Sato attempting to explain why King Kong hasn’t been an especially big hit in Japan.

Considering that the country is home to the likes of Godzilla and tentacle porn, Sato-san’s latter point is perhaps a little suspect. However as far as promotion — or indeed the lack of it — goes, he appears to be spot on.

‘Low-key’ and ‘on the cheap’ being polite criticism for some of the advertising efforts on show.

king kong japan

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Maid in Japan

Whilst the latest Harry Potter movie is currently pulling in millions at the box office, the biggest sleeper hit of the winter could well be ‘Popular Maids’.

maid japan

It’s a heart-warming tale set in a small Tokyo cafe, and with a heady mix of tea and titillation, it will surely go down well with film lovers all over the world.

Perhaps.

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Cig cinema

As Japan’s smokers begin to feel the pinch with an increasing number of bars, restaurants and public places restricting the use of cigarettes, Japan Tobacco has stepped in to briefly ease the pain.

The tobacco titan is kindly offering 150 lottery winners the chance to see a preview of the film Sin City in a restriction-free and smoke-friendly cinema. The one condition being that the applicant is a smoker — preferably a heavy one.

smoking manner japan

Japan Tobacco spokesman Tsuyoshi Miyashita gleefully wheezed, “The event is to provide a rare opportunity for smokers to light up freely while watching the movie, so they can enjoy the film without suppressing their urge to smoke. I remember seeing filmgoers smoke in theatres, though it’s impossible today.”

smoking manner japan

This is the first such promotion in Japan; and with the number of smokers falling to an all-time low of under thirty percent, it presumably won’t be the last. This inaugural event being part of the tobacco company’s ‘Smart Smoke’ campaign, which highlights the introduction of odour reduced cigarettes.

smoking manner japan

Miyashita-san however added that the guests would be able to smoke any cigarette they fancied, although whether the use of pipes and cigars would be permitted wasn’t mentioned. Similarly, the availability of oxygen or iron lungs wasn’t discussed.

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Cable car canoodle

Despite early concerns, the Aichi World Expo continues to be a roaring success. The huge number of visitors ensuring that the queues to see any of the attractions are immense. Making the site a veritable home from home for visiting Tokyoites.

In fact the Expo is so busy, that a group of five people hoping to make a pornographic film there, had to abandon their original idea due to the sheer number of tourists milling about. Instead, they took to the cable car and attempted to make the most of a five-minute journey. Enough time, personally speaking, to easily get the job done. With perhaps even a little time left over for a relaxing post-coital cigarette. As long as smoking is permitted of course.

car

Those involved however weren’t quite so quick off the draw, as the footage later shown on a pay-per-view satellite channel only showed, “an actress exposing her upper body and an actor touching it inside the gondola.”

The screening of the ‘gondola scene’ however got the furtive five in trouble with the law. An eagle eyed — and quite possibly disappointed — viewer spotting the location and alerting the police.

All the crew and cast it appears are from Tokyo, but their names have been withheld as the crime is considered a minor offence. The probable sentence being up to 30 days in jail, or more than likely a fine of just 10,000 yen (50 pound).

In their defense, it has to be said that the hour-long special that contained the clip wasn’t all sleaze. No, with so many non-Japanese visitors and staff at the Expo, the cast bravely made an attempt at international understanding and communication. Several of them being filmed running up to foreigners and asking them smutty questions.

Programmers at the BBC take note.