As China-Japan relations continue to deteriorate, an exhibition in Guangzhou themed around the works of renowned Japanese animation producer Hayao Miyazaki has been postponed. This decision comes amid escalating tensions following the sudden cancellation of a concert by Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki in Shanghai, which sparked strong backlash both domestically and internationally.
The Oscar-winning animation studio co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli, announced the postponement on Tuesday (December 9th) without specifying the reasons. According to Kyodo News, the decision could be influenced by the tensions in Japan-China relations caused by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s comments regarding Taiwan during a parliamentary debate.
In a statement, the studio expressed its apologies to the audience who had been eagerly anticipating the event, thanking everyone for their understanding and support while looking forward to reuniting in the near future.
The exhibition, scheduled to take place at the Canton Tower Theater, was set to open on Christmas Day. The Guangzhou Daily previously reported that on September 13th, the “Studio Ghibli Story: The Enchanted World of Hayao Miyazaki’s Films” project was unveiled at the Guangdong International Tourism Expo. Initially, the project was planned to run until October 8, 2026.
The Ghibli exhibition had been successfully held in Shanghai in 2024. Director Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films are highly popular in China, where they have been consistently well-received.
Chinese netizens took to official Weibo accounts to express regrets and bewilderment, with many commenting on the irony of an exhibition showcasing peace-promoting and anti-war themes from Ghibli being unable to proceed.
Fans who had already made travel arrangements to attend the exhibition expressed disappointment on social media. One woman from Beijing, who had booked a flight to Guangdong to see the exhibition with her children, wrote online, “My kids are loyal fans of Hayao Miyazaki. As soon as we heard about this exhibition, we planned a trip to Guangdong.”
On November 7th, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae stated during a parliamentary session that Chinese aggression towards Taiwan could pose a “survival threat” to Japan, prompting a strong reaction from Beijing. Subsequently, a series of Japanese films, concerts, and cultural events were either canceled or postponed.
Japanese pop icon Ayumi Hamasaki was forced to cancel her concert in Shanghai last month, with the upcoming concert in Macau next month also being canceled.
“I sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to it,” she wrote on social media on Tuesday. “But I will never give up on the future; our bonds are eternal.”
Regarding the cancellation of Ayumi Hamasaki’s concerts, Bloomberg published an article suggesting that China’s efforts to undermine Japan’s soft power could backfire. The “wolf warrior” mentality fails to comprehend that if Beijing continues to prioritize projecting a strong image domestically, its international standing is bound to be impacted.