2) In Each Prefecture
In this section, we examine the situation of film exhibitions in each prefecture.

Chart: Prefecture/ Population/Number of Theaters (Sites)/Number of Screens/ Annual Attendance/ Population Per

Screen/ Attendance Per Screen/ Annual Number of Films Per Person Going To See/ Number of Films Released/ Number ofFilms Released Per Screen Nationwide *in JapaneseNote: The numbers of sites and screens are taken from Jiji Press’s “Film Almanac 2015, Special Issue “The List of Movie Houses,” and theannual attendance and the number of films released are taken from the 2014 statistics in METI’s “2015 Specific Service Industry Current
Situation Research Report on Film.” Their calculating methods are different from that of Eiren, creating some discrepancies. Thepopulation is taken from the Ministry of Internal Affairs Communications Statistics Bureau’s report (as of October 1, 2015).
*“Attendance Per Screen” is the figure of the total annual attendance divided by the number of screens.
*“Annual Number of Films Per Person Going To See” is the figure of annual attendance divided by the population.
*“Number of the Films Released” in the above chart refers to the number of the films screened at each theater. There were cases wherethe same titles were screened at more than one theater in each prefecture, therefore, the high number of the films released does notmean that diverse films were shown. *“Number of Films Released Per Screen” refers to an average number of films shown per screen.

■ General Situation of Each Prefecture
When we see the number of attendance, obviously that of Tokyo is the highest with 27,322,000,
followed by Osaka (14,771,000), Kanagawa (14,447,000), Aichi (12,809,000), Saitama (10,153,000),
Chiba (9,157,000), Fukuoka (7,830,000), Hyogo (6,406,000). Hokkaido (4,875,000) and Shizuoka(4,715,000). These prefectures have big cities.
As for the number of screens, the same prefectures make the high marks: Tokyo with 335, Aichi with258, Kanagawa with 218, Osaka with 204, Saitama with 200, Chiba with 199, Fukuoka with 184, Hyogo
with 118, Hokkaido with 114, and Shizuoka with 98.
As for the number of the films per person going to see, Japanese average is 1.4. That of Tokyo is at thetop of the list with 2.0, followed by Kagawa (1.8), Aichi (1.7), Osaka (1.7), Kyoto (1.6), Kanagawa (1.6),
Fukuoka (1.5), Yamagata (1.5), Chiba (1.5), ad Ishikawa (1.5). These 10 prefectures are above theaverage. Many in this list are also in the above two lists because they each have a large population.
Exceptions are Yamagata, Ishikawa and Kagawa.
We now look at the population per screen. This is the figure of the population of each prefecture
divided by the number of screens. If this figure is low, it means that the prefecture in question has manyscreens. The top of this list is Yamagata with 20, 196 and the second is Ishikawa with 21, 406, much
lower than the nationwide average of 37,766. The high number of screens also means high number ofthe movie going population. However, a good number of the population per screen does not mean a highnumber of movie going population in the case of Ehime and Aomori with their movie going number of
0.9. Movie going is supposed to become a habit, however, if you do not have movie houses near you, it is
not easy for you to go to see movies. When the number of the theater decreases, evidently the number ofattendance also decreases.
In the areas with no theaters, some offer film festivals, cinematheques and independent film screenings,
providing their people with the opportunity to watch films on a big screen. The theater statistics
themselves do not accurately portray how rich the film environment is in each area.

■ Changes of Attendance in Each Prefecture
We see changes in attendance in each prefecture during the three years in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
In 2011, the attendance dramatically dropped due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, and thengradually increased from 2012 on. Even in the prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, where thedamage was the greatest, their attendance slightly increased from 2012 to 2014.
The increasing rate is high in Kagawa (148.9%), Yamaguchi (139.6%), Tochigi (125.7%), and Gunma(120.2%). These changes depend largely on how many theaters opened and closed. In Yamaguchi,
Cinema Sunshine Shimonoseki (with 8 screens) opened in 2014, making 133.2% increase from 2013 to2014. In general, the attendance increased except in Hokkaido, Fukushima, Toyama and Okinawa where
their attendance decreased considerably.
Chart: Prefecture/Annual attendance of 2014/2013/2012/increase or decrease of 2012-2014/increase
rate/annual
number ofmovies perperson in2014, 2013
and 2012 *inJapanese*Figures are from
“The Report on
Specific Service
Industry Current
Situation on Film”
by METI, and“PopulationChange” by
Ministry ofInternal Affairs
Communications
Statistics Bureau

■ The Change of the Number of Screens in Each Prefecture from 2005 to 2015
Nationwide, the number of screens increased by 498 from 2005 to 2015. In Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo andOsaka, the number increased by more than 50 screens in each city; in Kanagawa by 45 screens; inShizuoka by 35 screens; and in Aichi by 33 screens. These are metropolitan or surrounding areas. On theother hand, in Hokkaido, Fukushima, Niigata, Toyama and Yamanashi, the number decreased by morethan 10. During the early 2000s, multi-screen theaters in the suburbs spread all over Japan, and theconventional theaters gradually closed. In 2010, theaters in the main business center in cities changed tomulti-screen theaters and the number of screens in cities dramatically increased. Digitalization intheaters mostly completed in 2013, and many conventional theaters closed because they could not be
digitalized, making the share of multi-screen theaters larger. In Kagawa, Nara and Yamaguchi, from 2013
to 2014, the number of screens dropped. This is due to the temporary closing of Warner Mycal Cinemas
and the later reopening after being taken over by Aeon Cinemas.
Chart: Prefecture/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009/2010/2011/2012/2013/2014/2015/increase or decrease
between 2005 and 2015 *in Japanese*Figures are from
Eiren’s “Japan Film
Industry Statistics”
and JCCC’s “FilmExhibition Activity
Almanac.”■ The Changes of the Number of Theaters and Screens in Each Category in Each Prefecture*Figures are from Jiji Press’s “Annual Film 2016 Special Issue: List of Movie Houses” and JCCC’s “Film Activities Almanac 2006”－Hokkaido and Tohoku Region
We will look at the changes in numbers of movie theaters and screens in each category in eachprefecture.
The total number of screens in Hokkaido/Tohoku in 2015 was 350, and that of theaters was 66. Thesenumbers were lower than those in 2005 (the number of screens dropped by 20, and that of movie
houses dropped by 37). The percentage of the number of screen against the nationwide number is 10%,and that of movie houses is 11.3%.
In Hokkaido, the number of screens dropped by 19, and in Fukushima, 10 screens, while in Yamagata,increased by 22. In other areas, multi-screen theaters are increasing, while in Hokkaido and Tohoku
together, the number of multi-screen theaters (sites) increased only by 6, and in Aomori, no increase (inHokkaido, 1 closed and 1 opened; in Miyagi, 2 closed and 2 opened). Among the new 6 theaters, 3opened in Yamagata, making the number of screens in Yamagata increased.
In this region, there are many areas with no movie houses. Along with the Tohoku Coast, they are still
recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake, and it is challenging for us to consider how to provide
the people there with opportunities to see movies on a big screen.
－Kanto Region
The total number of screens in Kanto Region in 2015 was 1,199, decreased by 56 from that of 2005; andnumber of theaters in 2015 was 189, increased by 291 from that of 2005. The percentage of the numberof screens against the nationwide number is 34.6%, and that of theaters is 32.6%.
In every prefecture in this region, multi-screen theaters increased. Particularly in Saitama, during these
10 years, 2015 saw 12 more theaters and 113 more screens; in Chiba, 10 more theaters and 94 morescreens; in Kanagawa, 5 more theaters and 59 more screens; in Tokyo, 15 more theaters and 144 morescreens. The total for these 4 prefectures is 42 more theaters and 410 more screens.
Multi-screen theaters dramatically increased in the Tokyo metropolitan areas, moving them fromsuburbs to inside cities. On the other hand, 48 conventional theaters and 82 such screens closed. One ofthe reasons is because some of them changed their format from conventional to multi-screen theaters.
In addition, we would like to draw attention to the decrease of mini- and repertory theaters. In Tokyo
during these ten years, 13 mini- and repertory theaters closed, leaving 33 theaters and 56 screens in2015. In “the List of Film Exhibition Facilities in Each Prefecture”, the closed mini-theaters in Shibuya
district and that of repertory theaters in Taito district stand out. On the other hand, in prefectures otherthan Tokyo, conventional theaters changed their programing to single-title programing, causing thenumber of mini-theaters to increase. As a whole, the numbers of mini- and repertory theaters and theirscreens did not change much.
－Chubu Region
The number or screens in Chubu Region in 2015 was 661, increased by 83 from that in 2005; and thenumber of theaters in 2015 was 108, decreasing by 40 from that in 2005. The percentages of these in thenationwide numbers were: 19% of screens and 18.6% of theaters.
In Ishikawa, Shizuoka and Aichi, multi-screen theaters increased, while in Fukui and Gifu, there was noincrease, and in Toyama and Yamanashi, they decreased (in Toyama, 6 screens less; and in Yamanashi, 4screens less). In Shizuoka and Aichi with big cities, multi-screen theaters increased by more than 50screens, while other theaters closed more than 30 screens. Like in Tokyo, the theaters inside cities arechanging to multi-screen theaters.
In Ishikawa, 3 multi-screen theaters opened in and around Kanazawa City, with 27 more screens. On theother hand, Toyama saw 12 less screens. In 2016, JMAX THEATER TOYAMA (with 8 screens) opened,but later, mini-theater Forza Sogawa, which opened in 2007, was temporarily closed.

－Kinki Region
The total number of screens in Kinki Region in 2015 was 589, increased by 102 from that of 2005; andnumber of theaters in 2015 was 98, decreased by 41 from that of 2005. The percentage of the number ofscreens against the nationwide number is 17%, and that of theaters is also 17%.
In Kinki Region as a whole, multi-screen theaters increased by 17 with 199 screens during these 10years, but other theaters decreased by 58 sites and 97 screens. In Hyogo and Osaka, like otherprefectures with big cities, conventional theaters in the center of the cities changed to multi-screentheaters.
In Nara Prefecture, the number of screens decreased by 6, and no theaters exist other than 4 multiscreen theaters with a total of 34 screens. In Nara City, Cinema Dept. Yuraku with 8 screens closed in
2010, leaving this a prefectural capital city with no movie houses. In Wakayama, a total of 4 conventionaland adult theaters with 9 screens closed in Wakayama City, leaving only 2 multi-screen theaters with 20screens. In other cities like Gobo, Tanabe and Shingu, there are conventional theaters, making this aprefecture with theaters here and there.
－Chugoku and Shikoku Region
The total number of screens in Chugoku and Shikoku Region in 2015 was 264, increasing by 29 fromthat of 2005; and number of theaters in 2015 was 49, decreased by 29 from that of 2005. The percentageof the number of screens against the nationwide number is 7.6%, and that of theaters is 8.4%.
In Yamaguchi Prefecture, some conventional theaters closed, decreasing by 5 sites and 6 screens. In its
prefectural capital, Yamaguchi City, there has been no theater since its one conventional theater closed
upon the opening of a multi-screen theater in the adjacent Bofu City. However, Yamaguchi Center for
Arts and Media (YCAM) opened in 2003 and has been providing a film program every day, filling the lackof movie houses.
In Shimane, only one multi-screen theater exists in Matsue City and Izumo City each, and in Tokushima
Prefecture, only one multi-screen theater is located in the suburbs of Tokushima City and one
conventional theater inside this capital city. On the coast of the Japan Sea of Chugoku Region and inShikoku, there are many areas with no theaters.
－Kyushu and Okinawa Region
The number of screens in Kyushu Region in 2015 was 404, increasing by 31 from that of 2005; and thenumber of theaters in 2015 was 70, decreasing by 23 from that of 2005. The percentage of the numberof screens against the nationwide number is 11.6%, and that of theaters is 12%.
Among 8 prefectures in this region, the number of screens increased in 5, including Fukuoka, Nagasaki,Oita, Kagoshima and Okinawa, while that in 3 others decreased, including Saga, Kumamoto and Miyazaki.
In Fukuoka, like in Tokyo and other prefectures with big cities, the conventional theaters inside the bigcities are changing to multi-screen theaters.
In this region, mini- and repertory theaters increased by 5 to 8 screens. In Saga City, Theater Shiema
opened in 2007; in Hita City of Oita Prefecture, Hita Cinematheque Liberte opened in 2009; and in
Kagoshima City of Kagoshima Prefecture, Kagoshima Garden Cinema opened in 2010. These theaters areproviding their local people different kinds of programing from that of multi-screen theaters.