Japan's major entertainment agencyYoshimoto KogyoOn Tuesday (November 18), Yoshimoto Kogyo announced the cancellation of all four performances scheduled for November 20-22 as part of the 11th Shanghai International Comedy Festival, citing "force majeure." This news has sparked speculation about whether it is related to the recent escalation of political tensions between China and Japan, and whether this is beginning to impact the entertainment industry. Yoshimoto Kogyo thus becomes the first major Japanese entertainment company to officially cancel its activities in China following the deterioration of relations between the two countries.
'CCTV NewsPrevious reports indicated that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's mention of "Taiwan in trouble" triggered a strong backlash from Beijing, forcing the postponement of the release of several Japanese films, such as "Crayon Shin-chan: The Burning Kasukabe Dancers" and "Cells at Work!", in China. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and state media also launched a boycott of Japanese entertainment, and various Japanese cultural activities were subsequently affected.
Further reading｜Tensions in Sino-Japanese relations have led to the postponement of the release of "Crayon Shin-chan" and "Cells at Work!" in China.
Yoshimoto Kogyo issued a statement on the 18th, saying, "Due to the changing circumstances, we have no choice but to cancel the 'Special Comedy Performance' originally planned for the Shanghai International Arts Festival."
It is understood that Yoshimoto has participated in the Shanghai International Comedy Festival many times since 2019, accumulating a large Chinese audience with his manzai, variety and improvisational theater performances. This sudden suspension has been interpreted by the outside world as a forced withdrawal due to the political atmosphere.
Founded in 1912, Yoshimoto Kogyo is one of Japan's oldest and most influential entertainment agencies, having cultivated numerous comedians and well-known programs. In recent years, the company has actively expanded into Asia, even establishing "Yoshimoto Entertainment (Shanghai)" in 2019 in partnership with a Chinese company, considered an important symbol of Sino-Japanese cultural exchange. The sudden cancellation of the event reflects a further decline in mutual cultural trust between China and Japan.
In addition, the Japanese boy band JO1, which was scheduled to hold a fan party in Guangzhou on the 28th of this month, also announced its cancellation on Monday (17th), citing "force majeure" as the reason. It is widely expected that this wave of cultural boycotts will likely continue to escalate.
