China cancels Japanese concerts amid rising diplomatic tensions
Diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo have led to the abrupt cancellation of about a dozen concerts featuring Japanese musicians across major Chinese cities this week. The move follows comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response, angering Chinese authorities.
Renowned 80-year-old jazz bassist Yoshio Suzuki and his quintet were preparing for performances in Beijing when plain-clothes police arrived during a sound check and informed the venue that all concerts with Japanese performers were cancelled. German promoter Christian Petersen-Clausen, who has lived in China for 13 years, said the musicians were “crushed” by the news, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Authorities have reportedly warned venues not to host Japanese performers for the remainder of 2025 and instructed organizers to refrain from promoting any upcoming Japanese gigs. Other cancellations include a Beijing concert by singer KOKIA and the indefinite postponement of Japanese rapper KID FRESINO’s China tour.
China has a history of using cultural boycotts as leverage during diplomatic disputes. Similar restrictions were imposed on Korean artists after the 2016 THAAD missile deployment dispute, affecting K-pop bands and Korean dramas in the Chinese market.
The cancellations are expected to have economic repercussions, impacting ticket sales, hotel bookings, and employment for concert staff. Petersen-Clausen noted that live music is an important cultural outlet for young Chinese audiences, many of whom are largely apolitical.
“This type of anti-Japanese sentiment may appear online, but we don’t see it at the concerts themselves,” he said.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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