China Cancels Japanese Boy Group Fan Meeting
Japan Opposes Appearance of aespa's Chinese Member on Japanese TV
Following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks about potential intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency, tensions between China and Japan have spilled over into the entertainment industry, and even the Korean girl group aespa has been caught in the crossfire. A petition has been filed calling for the Chinese member of aespa to be barred from appearing on a Japanese television program.
According to Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Daily and China News Service on the 19th, Chinese music platform QQ Music announced via social media on the 17th that the fan meeting event for Japanese boy group JO1 in Guangzhou had been canceled due to force majeure. In addition to the fan meeting, which was scheduled to be held in Guangzhou, China on the 28th, all related VIP events have also been suspended.
JO1 is an 11-member group that debuted in 2020 through “Produce 101 Japan” Season 1, and is managed by Lapone Entertainment, a joint venture established by CJ ENM and Yoshimoto Kogyo. Analysts believe that the diplomatic conflict between China and Japan has begun to hinder the activities of Japanese entertainers in China.
Similar developments are occurring in Japan. After news broke that Korean girl group aespa would appear on NHK’s year-end special program “Kohaku Uta Gassen,” controversy erupted over aespa’s Chinese member.
Previously, the Chinese member Ningning faced criticism from Japanese netizens in 2022 after posting an image on social media featuring lighting similar to a “mushroom cloud” that appears after an atomic bomb explosion. As tensions between China and Japan intensified, this controversy resurfaced, and a petition was submitted to NHK demanding the cancellation of her appearance on Kohaku Uta Gassen.
The petition argued that Kohaku Uta Gassen is an important official event in Japan, and that tolerating remarks lacking historical awareness would not only damage Japan’s international image but also hurt victims of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. As of the afternoon of the 18th, more than 50,000 people had signed the petition.
In response, Sing Tao Daily reported that aespa has emerged as the biggest victim of the recent diplomatic tensions between China and Japan. The outlet also predicted that whether aespa will be able to perform as scheduled at Kohaku Uta Gassen on December 31 could serve as a barometer of the current level of tension in China-Japan relations.
Travel and Cinema Industries Hit Hard by China’s Retaliatory Measures Against Japan
Since Prime Minister Takaichi hinted at intervention in a Taiwan contingency on the 7th, Chinese authorities have not only issued strong condemnations of her statements but have also rolled out tough measures, including restrictions on travel and study in Japan and limitations on Japanese film screenings. These retaliatory actions, which are rapidly escalating into a de facto “Japan ban,” have dealt a direct blow to the travel and cinema industries.
Between the 15th and 17th, 491,000 flight tickets from China to Japan were canceled, and reports have emerged that the release of Japanese films in China, such as “Crayon Shin-chan: Shining! Dancing Kasukabe Dancers,” has been temporarily suspended. The globally popular Japanese animation “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc” also reportedly saw its audience numbers plummet to near-boycott levels just three days after its release in China.
Amid these developments, Japanese celebrities active in China have been making public statements in support of the “One China” policy. Japanese singer Mayria, who has appeared on Chinese variety shows, posted on Weibo on the 18th, “China is my second home, and my Chinese friends are all precious family to me. I will always support ‘One China.’” Japanese actor Koji Yano, who has appeared in Chinese films and dramas, also declared, “I will always support the ‘One China’ principle and will always love you all.”
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