As Japanese singers are being forced off stage during performances in China or having shows canceled at the last minute, questions are mounting that China's "anti-Japan order" (限日令) may be taking full effect.
On the 30th, the Sankei Shimbun reported that Otsuki Maki, the singer of the theme song for the anime One Piece, had her stage halted while singing at the Bandai Namco Festival 2025 held in Shanghai on the 28th.
According to the paper, while Otsuki was singing, the lights went out and the music stopped, and then people believed to be event staff came on stage and ordered her to leave. Otsuki reportedly left the stage with a startled expression, unable to finish her song.
A video showing Otsuki exiting has spread on Chinese social media (SNS).
Her agency said on its website, "On the 28th, we were in the middle of a performance, but due to unavoidable circumstances we had no choice but to stop," adding, "The appearance on the 29th was also canceled for the same reason."
The event was a place to experience Japanese anime content and was scheduled to run through the 30th, but it was halted on the 29th, the day before, and other Japanese idol groups' appearances were also scrapped.
Earlier, a Shanghai concert that Hamasaki Ayumi was to hold on the 29th was also called off on the 28th, when the Chinese organizer released that it was due to "force majeure."
In addition, concerts in China by the Japanese duo Yuzu and pianist Uehara Hiromi were canceled, and the releases of the film Cells at Work and the Crayon Shin-chan anime series were postponed one after another. Shows by the entertainment agency Yoshimoto Kogyo and the Sailor Moon musical have also been halted.
Kyodo News analyzed that political tensions between China and Japan, sparked by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion of "intervention in a Taiwan contingency," are affecting the cultural sphere.
The Sankei also said, "As the Chinese government strongly pushes back against Takaichi's remarks, the impact on Japanese entertainment content is spreading," adding, "It remains unclear whether the Chinese government has begun excluding Japanese content or whether local authorities are overreacting in consideration of the government's intentions."
Earlier, Prime Minister Takaichi stirred controversy by saying, "If China mounts a military attack on Taiwan, it could constitute a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan." In response, the Chinese government took steps such as advising its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.