Sai Yoichi, who directed the 1993 Japanese film "All Under the Moon," has died. He was 73.

Sai was born in the Japanese prefecture of Nagano in 1949.

Japanese animation film "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," has shattered the country's all-time box office record. It earned more than 32.4 billion yen, or about 314 million dollars, in 73 days.

The film broke the previous record of 31.6 billion yen set by the 2001 animation fantasy "Spirited Away," directed by Miyazaki Hayao.

The animated movie "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," has earned 20 billion yen in its first 24 days in theaters across Japan. It reached the milestone much faster than the 59 days it took the 2001 animated fantasy film "Spirited Away."

The film's distributor, Toho, says more than 15.3 million people watched the movie in theaters from October 16 to Sunday. It raked in 20.4 billion yen, or nearly 200 million dollars.

The Japanese smash-hit anime "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," has debuted in Taiwan, attracting large crowds.

Moviegoers eager to see the animated film on its opening day gathered at Taipei's movie theaters on Friday.

One of Asia's largest film festivals has opened in Tokyo, without the usual entry of actors and directors on a red carpet due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The opening of the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival was held at the Tokyo International Forum on Saturday.

Major Japanese film studios are reporting sharp declines in their earnings this year. The pandemic has led to the closure of theaters, forcing movie fans to stay home.

Shochiku posted a net loss of 89 million dollars in the six-month period through August. Sales dropped 60.8 percent in yen terms compared with the same period last year.

A film about Japanese people abducted by North Korea and the abductees' family members is set to be produced.

The film will deal with the abductees who have not returned to Japan. Megumi Yokota is one. She was abducted when she was a junior high school student.