From Variety:

NEW YORK — Clint Eastwood’s Japanese-language pic from Warners, “Letters from Iwo Jima,” has been named picture of the year by the National Board of Review, the year’s first major kudos.

[...]

“Letters,” the Japanese corollary to Eastwood’s “Flags of Our Fathers,” bested nine other films selected by the NBR as the top ten films of the year, including “Fathers” itself. They are: “Babel,” “Blood Diamond,” The Departed,” The Devil Wears Prada,” Flags of Our Fathers,” “The History Boys,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Notes on a Scandal” and “The Painted Veil.”

It’s quite an achievement for a non-English-language film to be named picture of the year by American critics. Hopefully it will live up to the hype when it hits Japanese theaters this weekend!