What makes Japan’s theatrical movie release schedule so different?

A deep dive into Japan’s unique release strategy for foreign films and what it tells us about the push for globalised simultaneous film releases.

At first glance, the chart below doesn’t look all that noteworthy.

It shows the amount of time between when movies are released in the US and when they come out in Japanese cinemas. The line is mostly flat, dipping only slightly in the past few years as the effect of the Covid lockdown ripples out.

But add some context, and everything changes.

There are two things which jump out when you compare it to other countries:

1. Firstly, movies come out in Japan a lot later than they do in other countries.

2. Secondly, the delay has largely stayed consistent, bucking the global trend.

France, the UK, South Korea, and dozens more have almost eliminated the delay as global releases have become more common. Studios want audiences everywhere to see blockbusters at the same time as it helps marketing, reduces piracy, and builds momentum.

Yet Japan hasn’t followed that trend. While the rest of the world has moved toward simultaneity, Japan has stuck with a schedule of its own.

Why Japan still releases foreign films later

I’m going to go through things in a little more detail but let’s start with an overview as to why this happening.

Japan’s release pattern is a deliberate strategy shaped by the way the industry works, what audiences expect, and how success is measured. The key reasons are:

1. Distributors want proof before committing. A film's success overseas is often used to shape the marketing in Japan. That means waiting to see how it performs. If it wins awards or does well in the US, that becomes part of the campaign.

2. Delays don’t hurt box office performance. Data shows no significant drop in revenue for films released late. That removes the main incentive to change.

3. Localisation is slow and detailed. Subtitles and dubbing for Japanese audiences involve more than translation. Scenes and references are adapted culturally. This takes time and adds to the delay.

4. Domestic films dominate the box office. In 2024, nine of the top ten films in Japan were local. Distributors and exhibitors give them priority. Foreign films that aren't major franchises often come second.

5. Releases are timed around holidays. Golden Week, Obon, and New Year are peak cinema seasons. If a film doesn’t fit one of those windows, it gets delayed.

6. Screen availability is limited. Japan has fewer cinema screens per person than most developed countries. Theatres have to be selective. That creates a queue, and foreign films often wait their turn.

7. Long theatrical windows remove time pressure. Unlike in the US, where films are pushed to streaming quickly, Japan keeps them in cinemas longer. There is no rush to release everything at once.

Let’s look at each of these in turn to understand Japan’s film market a little better.

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1. Distributors want proof before committing

Japanese distributors often delay the release of foreign films until they see how they perform overseas. This “wait and see” approach is common, especially for films that are not part of established franchises. Success abroad provides validation, which is then used in Japanese marketing.

A film that becomes a hit in the US or Europe gives the distributor material to work with. Japanese movie audiences are accustomed to seeing claims like like:

• “全米が泣いた” meaning “All of America cried”

• “全世界No.1大ヒット“ meaning “The No.1 Hit Worldwide“

• “アカデミー賞長編アニメーション賞受賞“ meaning “Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature“

These claims can’t be made until the film has run elsewhere.

By the time Everything Everywhere All At Once opened in Japan (nearly a year after its US debut) it had won multiple awards and built strong global buzz. That success was part of the local campaign. The same strategy was used for Oppenheimer, which received a Japanese release date only after its Oscar run.

Distributors also use overseas performance to scale their investment. If a film underperforms in its home market, it might still open in Japan, but with fewer screens and limited promotion. If it flops, it may not open at all. This cautious approach helps avoid expensive failures and tailors each release to what the Japanese market is likely to tolerate.

It’s worth noting that franchise films are often treated differently. Marvel, Star Wars, and similar blockbusters are often released in Japan simultaneously with the US, or even slightly earlier. Their success is already assumed. For everything else, proof comes first.

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2. Delays don’t hurt box office performance

In most countries, releasing a film late risks piracy, spoilers, and lost momentum. In Japan, that risk does not appear to apply.

A 2018 study by the University of Amsterdam surveyed nearly 35,000 people across 13 countries and found Japan had some of the lowest online piracy rates in the world. While piracy was widespread in places like Spain and Canada, it was rare in Japan. The report linked this to strong enforcement and cultural respect for copyright, both of which help explain why Japanese audiences still show up for delayed theatrical releases.

Spoilers are a concern, but not at the level seen in the US or UK. Many viewers wait, even if they already know the story. As long as interest remains, the delay does not cut into revenue.

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3. Localisation is slow and detailed

Preparing a foreign film for release in Japan involves much more than translation. Subtitles and dubbing require careful adaptation, and this process takes time. Cultural references, humour, and even on-screen visuals are often changed to match Japanese audience expectations.

In Inside Out, Pixar replaced a piece of broccoli with a green pepper in the Japanese version. The change was made because green peppers are more commonly disliked by Japanese children. In Zootopia, a moose newscaster was changed to a tanuki, a raccoon dog familiar from Japanese folklore. These edits are minor in appearance but require planning, animation updates, and voice re-recording.

Language structure adds to the delay. Japanese uses three writing systems and follows different sentence structures from English. Translators must restructure dialogue, observe strict character limits for subtitles, and handle nuances such as politeness levels or gendered speech.

Japanese audiences expect this level of care. Poor localisation can damage a film’s reputation. Distributors know that rushing this process risks losing audience trust, so they take their time. The result is a polished product, but one that arrives later than in other countries.