- News>
- ICE Economy
Disney to shut Japanese animation studio
Los Angeles, Sept 24: Walt Disney Co. is to shut its Japan-based animation unit, the industry press has said, as the US entertainment giant moves to sprinkle a little magic on its troubled balance sheet.
Los Angeles, Sept 24: Walt Disney Co. is to shut its Japan-based animation unit, the industry press has said, as the US entertainment giant moves to sprinkle a little magic on its troubled balance sheet.
The Los Angeles-based home of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck is pulling the plug on its Tokyo Animation Studio, Walt Disney Animation (Japan), to reduce production capacity, said a media report yesterday.
The studio, which employs 103 people, was responsible for such Disney hits as "Piglet's Big Movie," and "The Tigger Movie" and is currently producing a "Winnie The Pooh" spin-off called "The Heffalump Movie." The unit will be closed once work on its latest animated movie is wound up, the industry publication said.
Staff were told of the planned closure in an internal memo circulated last week in which Disney said it was closing the Tokyo Animation Studio despite 14 years of "outstanding" work. "However, after reviewing our business plans and production requirements, we determined we no longer can support this additional production capacity," the memo reportedly said.
Disney officials in Los Angeles were not immediately available for comment on the report. Bureau Report
The studio, which employs 103 people, was responsible for such Disney hits as "Piglet's Big Movie," and "The Tigger Movie" and is currently producing a "Winnie The Pooh" spin-off called "The Heffalump Movie." The unit will be closed once work on its latest animated movie is wound up, the industry publication said.
Staff were told of the planned closure in an internal memo circulated last week in which Disney said it was closing the Tokyo Animation Studio despite 14 years of "outstanding" work. "However, after reviewing our business plans and production requirements, we determined we no longer can support this additional production capacity," the memo reportedly said.
Disney officials in Los Angeles were not immediately available for comment on the report. Bureau Report