Chinese gov't promotes animated films at Tokyo event+

TOKYO, March 18 Kyodo -
A rare Chinese government booth to promote the country's animated films is
among the stands set up by around 250 organizations from 12 economies plus
Japan at the Tokyo International Anime Fair, which kicked off Wednesday.

The Chinese Culture Ministry, which has set up the booth in the first
government-led project to promote animated films in Japan, said it will screen
about 60 films during the four-day event at the Tokyo Big Sight convention
center, which the organizer expects to draw 130,000 visitors.
The Chinese films will include ''Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf,'' a smash hit
in the country, ''Meihouwang,'' ''Storm Rider'' and ''Prince of Tennis,'' a
story inspired by a Japanese manga comic of the same title.
Wu Hui, CEO of Hunan Shanmao Cartoon Co., one of 46 animation studios involved
in the project, said he intends to take advantage of the event to find business
partners in Japan.
''Animation is borderless. We're ready to sign contracts with any potential
partners. Japan is a big country for animated films. We'd like to learn about
how to make good films and promote them,'' Wu said.
The Chinese government is among 56 foreign entities from Canada, China, the
Czech Republic, Dubai, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Singapore, South
Korea, Taiwan and the United States that have erected promotional booths.
A screening of the Oscar-winning Japanese short animated film ''Tsumiki no Ie''
(The House of Small Cubes) will be held Friday, the organizer said.
The annual event, which began in 2002, was organized by a committee mainly
comprising the Tokyo metropolitan government and companies in the animation
industry.
==Kyodo