December 17, 2025 Epoch Times report: Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki, after experiencing consecutive disruptions in her Asian tour concerts in Shanghai and Macau by the Chinese Communist Party, shared a photo on Instagram on December 16 of herself standing on the stage, overlooking the sea of lights in the venue. In the caption, she expressed, “I am proud that we are still standing here, feeling proud and grateful!” This post sparked enthusiastic responses from her fans.
In the late night of December 16, Hamasaki posted a video on IG showing her standing on stage, accompanied by the English caption: “After experiencing so many ups and downs this year, I am proud that we are still here after so many ups and downs through this year!” Looking back on the year from the perspective of the stage, Hamasaki focused on the phrase “we are still standing here,” expressing her gratitude and appreciation for the long-term companionship of her team and fans.
Originally scheduled for the finale of her “2025 Asian Tour Concert” at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai on November 29, the concert was abruptly canceled by the Chinese organizers on November 28 citing “unforeseeable circumstances.”
Although the official performance was canceled, on November 29, Hamasaki held a “concert with no audience” at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, facing 14,000 empty seats. Despite the empty audience seats behind the glamorous lights, Hamasaki was fully dressed in a performance outfit specially embroidered with the word “SHANG HAI” for Shanghai. The stage was filled with vibrant lights, dancers energetically performed to the music, paper flowers fluttered in the air, and the stage effects were not compromised. This “concert with no audience” stirred strong reactions both domestically and internationally.
In her post, Hamasaki said, “Despite facing 14,000 empty seats, I felt the strong love from audiences around the world. This was one of the most unforgettable performances for me. I sincerely thank the 200 Chinese and Japanese staff, band members, and dancers; it was their dedication that brought this stage to life.”
On December 14, Hamasaki posted high-definition photos of the “concert with no audience” on IG, including close-up shots of herself, musicians, and dancers. She stated, “There are ten days left until the ‘Dai’anchi’ New Year’s concert rehearsal. At that time, I will present this performance in its entirety to the fans who were originally supposed to see us in Shanghai and Macau, as well as the fans from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Hangzhou, Beijing, and Japan who have supported the 2025 Asian tour. Is TA (Team Ayu) ready to rock together?”
Previously, Chinese state media quoted an apology statement from an individual claiming to be a staff member of Hamasaki’s Shanghai concert, stating that the news of a “solo concert by Hamasaki” was false and that it was a leaked rehearsal footage. Hamasaki, when she published the high-definition photos of the “concert with no audience” on December 14, specifically tagged the accounts of two Japanese photographers at the end of the post, refuting the Chinese media reports that it was a “rehearsal.”
After the high-definition photos were exposed, netizens left comments praising, “Looks awesome,” “The scene is so stunning, hard to believe there were no audiences present,” “Looking forward to seeing you at the ‘Dai’anchi’ concert.” Some netizens cleverly described Hamasaki as “defeating the mighty party Communist Party, “A small lady defeated a giant party,” and “The Chinese Communist Party lifting a stone only to drop it on its own foot.”