From Christie Digital Systems:

Christie Digital Systems, Inc. has announced that Japan’s 109 Cinemas Minoh, a 1,594-seat multiplex located in Minoh City near Osaka, has installed the Christie CP2000 digital cinema projector.

Owned by Tokyu Recreations Co., Inc., the 109 Cinemas is the first commercial theatre in Japan to install a 2K-resolution DLP Cinema projector.

Tokyu Recreations, one of the largest theatre chains in Japan, is owned by Tokyu-Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in the country. Opened in 2003, 109 Cinemas is part of the popular Minoh Market Park Visola shopping and entertainment complex visited by millions of people.

Systems integrator Xebex also installed Christie's CineNET in-theatre digital advertising system at 109 Cinemas, featuring on-screen customized promotional messaging and advertising.

Hiroshima WALD 11, managed by T-Joy and Toho, also announced plans to install a Christie CP2000 at the Hiroshima 11 Cinemas.

Xebex Inc., a subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., offers complete theater installation services, including audio, hardware and networking. Xebex, which dominates Japan’s cinema market with the installation of cinema projectors in more than 70 percent of screens throughout the country, anticipates installation of more than 100 digital cinema projectors within two or three years of established digital cinema standards.

“Japan offers enormous potential for the growth of digital cinema,” says Osamu Kaminaga, operations manager, Xebex, Inc., Japan. “This year, we are planning to install a significant number of DLP Cinema projectors in the market, with the numbers growing rapidly every year.”

“Digital cinema is a growing market in Japan and an integral part of Christie’s business strategy to maintain our leadership role as one of the world’s largest provider of cinema projection solutions,” says Scott Freidberg, director, cinema sales at Christie.

[June 28, 2004]