Japanese music events cancelled in Shanghai amid diplomatic tensions with Tokyo

A string of Japanese music performances in Shanghai was halted without warning over the weekend, sparking anger among fans and drawing international attention.

The cancellations came as diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo deepened following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments suggesting Japan could take military action if China attacked Taiwan.

The first incident occurred on Friday when singer Maki Otsuki was midway through performing the One Piece theme song. The lights and audio were abruptly cut, and she was escorted off stage by crew members. Otsuki’s management later attributed the incident to “unavoidable circumstances”, noting that the local staff had been “kind and helpful”. Her set was part of a three-day music festival in Shanghai, where later events were also cancelled after organisers said they had assessed “various factors”.

On Saturday, pop star Ayumi Hamasaki faced a similar disruption. Her Shanghai concert was cancelled under a “force majeure” notice, leaving her to perform in an empty 14,000-seat arena as a gesture of appreciation for her team and supporters. She later wrote that she remained committed to the belief that entertainment “should be a bridge that connects people”.

The cancellations unfolded amid heightened political strain. Takaichi’s remarks in parliament last month, in which she implied Japan might intervene militarily if China moved against Taiwan, triggered protests from Beijing. China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification. Both governments have lodged formal complaints, and the tensions have spilled into cultural and entertainment sectors.

Online reaction to the shutdowns was swift. Some fans compared Otsuki’s removal from stage to the widely circulated footage of former Chinese leader Hu Jintao being escorted out of a party congress in 2022, calling it “the Hu Jintao treatment”. Others criticised Chinese authorities for restricting cultural enjoyment in an attempt to signal displeasure with Japan, asking why audiences were being affected.

However, nationalist voices on Chinese social media argued the events should never have gone ahead during a period of heightened public anger towards Japan. Meanwhile, US ambassador to Japan George Glass commented online that it was “regrettable” some people could not “feel the power of music”, sharing a link to the song Don’t Stop Believin’.

The cancellations follow recent decisions by Chinese state media to delay the release of several Japanese anime films, indicating further cultural fallout from the diplomatic dispute.

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