【Epoch Times News, November 21, 2025】 – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on the “Taiwan contingency” have touched a nerve in the Chinese Communist Party, prompting warnings from both the Chinese and Hong Kong governments advising citizens to avoid traveling to Japan recently and updating their travel alerts, urging Hong Kong residents in the region to exercise increased caution. Mainland China has additionally suspended the screening of several Japanese films abruptly.
In Hong Kong, the airing of the Japanese anime series “Cells at Work!!” Second Season on Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) gained attention as it disappeared from the program schedule after airing an episode, sparking concerns among netizens.
Some media outlets, citing an unnamed Legislative Council member, reported today (20th) that even non-political anime content is being affected, which could harm Hong Kong’s international image and business atmosphere.
When asked for a comment, RTHK did not directly respond to inquiries regarding a connection to countering Japan, stating instead that the program changes were made to accommodate the National Games and Paralympics, with the schedule to be reviewed in due course.
“Cells at Work!!” is a science-oriented manga created by Japanese artist Akane Shimizu, which personifies cells within the human body and details their daily functions, later adapted into an animated series.
Upon reviewing the RTHK TV 31 program schedule, “Cells at Work!!” Second Season was scheduled to air on the 16th of this month at 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., however, for the following two weeks during the same time slots, including the 23rd and 30th, the show was absent. Instead, the schedules for the 23rd and 30th featured programs such as “Unbounded Beyond Paralympics” and “Hong Kong Music Lecture.”
Netizens noticed the change in program schedules and expressed discontent on forums on the 18th, criticizing the decision to abruptly halt “Cells at Work!!” Second Season after just one episode.
Some netizens mockingly denounced RTHK, stating, “RTHK TV 31 is truly psychotic,” arguing that anime is not political and questioning why Japanese films are being pulled off the air.
One netizen quipped, “Thank goodness the Chiikawa exhibition and Doraemon (exhibition) have ended, otherwise, it would be hilarious.” “Doraemon” is another Japanese animated series.
In response to the posts, one user sarcastically remarked that it was amusing how a program like “Cells” with educational value is being treated humorously, while another criticized the Hong Kong government for attempting to maintain the “one country, two systems” framework while simultaneously disparaging Japan.
Amidst the anti-Japanese sentiment in China, the screening of the film version of “Cells at Work!!” scheduled for the 22nd has been postponed since the 17th. However, the Chinese video-sharing website Bilibili still provides access to all episodes of the anime.
In a political column published by “Hong Kong Economic Journal” today, it was noted that prior to the airing of the second season of “Cells at Work!!,” RTHK involved several medical professionals, including cardiologist Dr. Tong Guangda, in shooting promotional videos, indicating significant importance attached to the program. Yet, yesterday afternoon, the page introducing the anime was removed along with the recap of the first episode aired the previous week and the preview of the second episode.
Responding to the column, RTHK stated that they periodically review program schedules and, due to the 15th National Games, have made changes to strengthen relevant programs to boost morale for Hong Kong athletes participating. The column analyzed the program’s premiere on the 16th, which coincided with the ongoing National Games, while the 23rd session was after the National Games concluded. Moreover, with the Paralympics set to begin on December 8th, there is still over two weeks left, and the replacement program “Unbounded Beyond Paralympics” will air three times a day.
The column further quoted an unnamed Legislative Council member expressing that Hong Kong should not overly follow every move, as bypassing even non-political anime content could harm the city’s international image and business environment. While Mainland Chinese theaters have paused the release of related films considering public sentiment and box office receipts, the cultural atmosphere in Hong Kong is different, allowing for alternative approaches.