'Ratatouille' cooks up record in Japan

Disney cartoon hits 3 billion yen at box office

By MARK SCHILLING

TOKYO -- "Ratatouille" has hit 3 billion yen ($25.9 million) in Japan, according to distrib Walt Disney Japan, the first Hollywood toon released in summer to pass the mark since "The Lion King," which bowed in July 1994.

The toon hit the mark on Aug. 23, its 27th day of release, the first time a Hollywood toon has reached this milestone since "The Incredibles" in 2005.

Disney predicts that "Ratatouille" will surpass "Toy Story 2" (final B.O.: $29.7 million) to finish fourth all-time among Pixar toons in the Japanese market, after "Finding Nemo" ($94.8 million) "Monsters, Inc." ($80.7 million) and "The Incredibles" ($45.3 million).