Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki and Maki Ootsuki’s concert in Shanghai was suddenly canceled and abruptly interrupted, causing public outcry. On December 1st, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded to inquiries from foreign media during a press conference, suggesting to consult the “Chinese organizers” for details on the “specific operational situation and reasons” of these “societal and commercial activities.”
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takamichi stated during parliamentary questioning on November 7th that if there were a crisis in Taiwan that posed a severe threat, it could constitute an existential threat to Japan. In such a scenario, Japan would consider deploying self-defense forces to safeguard national security. Following Takamichi’s remarks, the Chinese Communist Party reacted strongly, launching a series of media, diplomatic, and economic offensives against Japan, including warning Chinese tourists not to travel to Japan, halting the import of Japanese seafood, and suspending the approval of new Japanese films.
On the evening of November 28th, Maki Ootsuki held a concert titled “Bandai Namco Dreams Carnival” in Shanghai. When she was performing the ending theme song “Memories” from the anime “One Piece,” the music suddenly stopped, and two staff members came on stage to announce the show’s cancellation. Ootsuki was left speechless and shocked, as one person even took away her microphone and quickly escorted her off stage. It was only after this that the organizers publicly announced the cancellation of the show.
Japanese diva Ayumi Hamasaki’s Shanghai concert, which involved a team of 200 Chinese and Japanese members working day and night, saw its stage set up over five days, only to be abruptly halted on November 28th due to “force majeure.” Hamasaki took to social media to announce the cancellation of her show in Shanghai on the 29th, apologizing to the concert staff, backup dancers, band members, and Chinese fans.
Late on the 29th, Hamasaki posted again, stating, “After receiving the request to stop the performance yesterday, we sang from the first song to the encore without an audience present before leaving. All performers and staff put in the same effort and dedication as a formal performance.” She shared photos of the performance and the curtain call with the staff on Facebook and Instagram, expressing gratitude for the teamwork that made the show possible.
Despite the empty seats behind the dazzling lights, Hamasaki gave a complete performance, even wearing a specially-designed outfit with the words “SHANG HAI” for the Shanghai concert. The radiant stage lights, energetic dance performances, and flying paper flowers created a visually stunning show, with no compromises on the stage effects.
The zero-audience performance by Hamasaki received widespread praise online, with comments lauding her professionalism and artistry. The Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive actions sparked public backlash, with even some Chinese citizens and establishment figures like the former editor-in-chief of the CCP state media Global Times, Hu Xijin, criticizing the overly harsh approach and its negative impact.
Interestingly, during a routine press conference on December 1st, when asked by foreign media about the reported cancellations of the Japanese singers’ concerts in Shanghai, spokesperson Lin Jian evaded the question, suggesting to inquire with the organizers for details on the operational situation and reasons behind the cancellations.
There have been other instances where countries in conflict with China faced similar boycotts, such as the “Korean ban” and the suspension of Taiwan travel visas. Economic retaliation has also been common, as seen in the case of South Korea’s THAAD deployment dispute with China, leading to restrictions on Korean cultural imports and tourism.
Taiwan has also experienced economic blockades from China, including bans on the import of Taiwanese agricultural products and cancellation of agricultural product duty-free benefits. Tourism has been affected as well, such as the suspension of independent travel visas from Beijing to Taiwan since 2019 and the continued restrictions on Chinese group tours to Taiwan.
Cases of Taiwanese artists facing censorship due to political reasons by China are not uncommon, exemplified by incidents like Taiwanese singer Deserts Chang displaying the national flag of the Republic of China during a concert in the UK and being subsequently banned by China. These actions highlight the political and economic consequences of conflicts between China and other nations.