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"Don't bully fishermen," a protestor screamed through a loudspeaker and held a banner reading: "The anti-Japanese movie, The Cove, is a poison that discriminates Japanese."
The movie shows graphic scenes of the bloody but legal dolphin slaughter filmed using hidden cameras, and nationalist groups say it should be banned because it is anti-Japanese.
"Watching movies is an individual right," said Kunio Suzuki, who slightly cut his face in the skirmish. "If you criticise the film, watch it first."
Police were also deployed inside the cinema, where all tickets had been sold out to about 100 spectators for the first showing, according to an official from the distributor Unplugged.
"Viewers were watching the film quietly. There was no act of protest inside the theatre," the official said.
Koyo Yamashita, owner of the Tokyo theatre, said: "I'm relieved to screen The Cove today. I hope many people will visit our theatre while it's shown."
The distributor had scrapped planned screenings last month after right-wing protesters -- known for their ear-splitting street demonstrations using megaphones -- targeted cinemas.
The film was shown on Saturday at five more theatres in major cities, including Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, where police and theatre officials barred five howling protesters from watching the film, Unplugged said.
"Cooperating with police, we have maintained security for visitors and residents around (the theatres)," said Takeshi Kato, representative of the distributor. "We will continue to be on alert, depending upon situations."
It was the first commercial screening of the film in a Japanese cinema, although the distributor has staged one-off screenings at promotion events and an online screening.
The film, which shows dolphins being harpooned at the western Japanese port of Taiji, angered Japanese fishermen, who say hunting the marine mammals is part of their culture.
Taiji mayor Kazutaka Sangen said he was disappointed that the film is finally being shown, Kyodo News reported.
"I understand there should be freedom of expression but at the same time you have to think about the rights of the fishermen and the rules (for film production)," Sangen said in an interview with Kyodo.
An official from the Taiji fisheries union voiced concern that showing the film could spread misunderstanding about dolphin hunts, but added that the union hopes audiences will get an "exact understanding" of what actually takes place, Kyodo reported.
At the Oscars ceremony, director Louie Psihoyos denied he was guilty of "Japan-bashing" and said "The Cove" was intended to be a public health warning to Japanese who are sold dolphin meat contaminated by mercury.
The Directors Guild of Japan protested at any moves to make the theatres stop showing the film, saying in a statement: "Such moves would limit opportunities to express thoughts and beliefs, which are the core of democracy."
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The movie shows graphic scenes of the bloody but legal dolphin slaughter filmed using hidden cameras, and nationalist groups say it should be banned because it is anti-Japanese.
"Watching movies is an individual right," said Kunio Suzuki, who slightly cut his face in the skirmish. "If you criticise the film, watch it first."
Police were also deployed inside the cinema, where all tickets had been sold out to about 100 spectators for the first showing, according to an official from the distributor Unplugged.
"Viewers were watching the film quietly. There was no act of protest inside the theatre," the official said.
Koyo Yamashita, owner of the Tokyo theatre, said: "I'm relieved to screen The Cove today. I hope many people will visit our theatre while it's shown."
The distributor had scrapped planned screenings last month after right-wing protesters -- known for their ear-splitting street demonstrations using megaphones -- targeted cinemas.
The film was shown on Saturday at five more theatres in major cities, including Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, where police and theatre officials barred five howling protesters from watching the film, Unplugged said.
"Cooperating with police, we have maintained security for visitors and residents around (the theatres)," said Takeshi Kato, representative of the distributor. "We will continue to be on alert, depending upon situations."
It was the first commercial screening of the film in a Japanese cinema, although the distributor has staged one-off screenings at promotion events and an online screening.
The film, which shows dolphins being harpooned at the western Japanese port of Taiji, angered Japanese fishermen, who say hunting the marine mammals is part of their culture.
Taiji mayor Kazutaka Sangen said he was disappointed that the film is finally being shown, Kyodo News reported.
"I understand there should be freedom of expression but at the same time you have to think about the rights of the fishermen and the rules (for film production)," Sangen said in an interview with Kyodo.
An official from the Taiji fisheries union voiced concern that showing the film could spread misunderstanding about dolphin hunts, but added that the union hopes audiences will get an "exact understanding" of what actually takes place, Kyodo reported.
At the Oscars ceremony, director Louie Psihoyos denied he was guilty of "Japan-bashing" and said "The Cove" was intended to be a public health warning to Japanese who are sold dolphin meat contaminated by mercury.
The Directors Guild of Japan protested at any moves to make the theatres stop showing the film, saying in a statement: "Such moves would limit opportunities to express thoughts and beliefs, which are the core of democracy."
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