Political Strains Prompt Cancellation of Japanese Concerts in China

Japanese Concerts Canceled Amid Political Tensions

In the last 24 hours, several concerts and musical events by Japanese artists have been abruptly canceled in China due to escalating political tensions. The well-known anime music magazine LisAni! disclosed the cancellation of its much-anticipated "LisAni! LIVE Shanghai 2025" concert, which was set to take place over the weekend. Featured performers included popular artists like KOTOKO and Minori Chihara. LisAni! cited "force majeure" as the reason for the cancellation, a legal term indicating that unforeseen circumstances hindered the event’s execution. Ticket refunds will be processed within 30 days.

In addition, the Bandai Namco Festival 2025, also scheduled in Shanghai this weekend, has canceled all stage performances. Notable acts such as Momoiro Clover Z and ASH DA HERO were slated to perform. Maki Otsuki lamented on social media about her sudden performance cancellation due to "unavoidable circumstances".

Other notable cancellations included:

• Ayumi Hamasaki: Concert in Shanghai on Saturday.
• KAF: Solo live event planned for the weekend.
• SID: Concerts in Shanghai and Beijing.

The tensions between Japan and China escalated following comments from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, suggesting a Chinese attack on Taiwan could threaten Japan's survival, allowing for possible military actions. These remarks have resulted in strong backlash from Chinese officials, who have since urged their citizens to avoid traveling to Japan and even implemented free flight refunds for flights to Japan.

Moreover, several movie releases in China, including the live-action films related to "Crayon Shin-chan" and "Cells at Work!", have been postponed without new release dates announced.

As these events unfold, the impact on cultural exchanges between Japan and China remains to be seen.

Source: Anime News Network