Japanese singer stopped mid-show in Shanghai
A Japanese singer whose songs feature in the popular anime “One Piece” was forced to stop performing on stage in Shanghai on Friday, the latest disruption in events involving Japanese artists in China amid a bilateral diplomatic row.
Maki Otsuki had been slated to perform for two days from Friday at the Bandai Namco Festival 2025, but her management said on Saturday that she had to “suddenly stop performing due to unavoidable circumstances.”
Tensions
The move comes as tensions heighten between the Japanese and Chinese governments over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks in parliament over Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island that Beijing views as its own territory.
A video on social media shows Otsuki singing on stage before the lights are suddenly turned off and the music stops. Two people believed to be staff approach Otsuki and escort her off the stage.
Popular Japanese female idol group “Momoiro Clover Z,” who were due to perform at the same event on Saturday, also announced on their official website that they had been told by the organizer to cancel their performance, citing “unavoidable” circumstances.
