Japan Box Office: 'The Martian' Climbs to $14M, Stays No. 1

Elsewhere, 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' stays in the top five on its ninth weekend.

The Martian stayed No. 1 at the box office in Japan, dipping only 18 percent from its opening weekend to land another $3.6 million (?407 million) on Saturday and Sunday.

Showing on around 70 IMAX, 4DX and MX4D screens, Ridley Scott's space drama has now earned $14 million (?1.6 billion) from a million admissions.

The top four movies in the weekend rankings remained unchanged, with time-travel samurai film Nobunaga Concerto in the second spot, taking another $2.5 million (?283 million) to bring its total to $28 million (?3.2 billion).

The final installment in a long-running detective franchise, Saraba Abunai Deka: Long Goodbye, stayed in third and has now taken $8.7 million (?1 billion) after three weekends.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens remained in fourth place, taking another $1.2 million (?140 million) on Saturday and Sunday to bring its total to $94.6 million (?10.85 billion).

The only new entry in the top 10 was Born in the EXILE – Sandai-me J Soul Brothers no Kiseki, a documentary about local all-singing, all-dancing boy band Exile, at number five.

Scott Cooper's gangster drama Black Mass held on to eighth spot on its third weekend of release, while Paddington climbed one spot back up the chart to ninth after five weekends.

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara-starrer Carol failed to crack the top 10 with a limited 58-screen release, as did the Steve Jobs biopic on 52 screens.

Next weekend will see a theatrical release for the BBC New Year's Day special TV episode Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, which has already done great business in East Asia, taking more than $35 million in China, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.