Japan's major movie theater circuits have begun a partial reboot after shutting down mid-April, when the Tokyo government declared a national emergency in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Japan is home to the world's third-largest box office, so any significant resumption of business there will represent a significant step toward getting the global theatrical sector back on track.
China, the globe's No. 2 film territory, said late last week that theaters would be allowed to reopen provided that necessary safety measures were established.