'Aftershock' to Be Released in Japan on Mar. 26

Chinese director Feng Xiaogang pays tribute to those who were killed in the Kobe Earthquake on Jan. 17. [Photo: sina.com.cn]

"Aftershock" ("Tangshan Da Dizhen"), the biggest-grossing Chinese movie last year, will open in Japanese theaters on March 26. Director Feng Xiaogang arrived in Kobe, Japan on January 17, Sina.com.cn reports.

Feng Xiaogang was invited by the Japanese distributor to help promote the movie. The distributor will spend 3.5 million U.S. dollars on promotion, according to the report.

January 17 marked the 16th anniversary of the Kobe earthquake, or the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Feng Xiaogang visited the Kobe earthquake memorial museum to pay tribute to those who were killed in the disaster.

The movie "Aftershock" recounts the dreadful Tangshan earthquake in 1976. It took 673 million yuan (about US$98.97 million) in box office revenue.