21 cinemas to screen documentary 'Yasukuni'

Twenty-one movie theaters across Japan including Tokyo plan to screen a documentary film on the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in May or later, a company distributing the film said Friday. However, an official of Argo Pictures said it is not able to announce a detailed schedule or the names of cinemas that have decided to hold screenings because the cinemas do not want to suffer further harassment or pressure from groups opposed to the film.

Ten theaters including Cinema Taurus in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Kyoto Cinema in Kyoto, Cinewind in Niigata and Salon Cinema in Hiroshima have already declared that they will screen the documentary. A theater in Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture, has joined the list of cinemas willing to screen the controversial documentary. Each of the movie theaters has received inquiries about screening dates for the film, ‘‘Yasukuni,’’ by Chinese director Li Ying.