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Bandai Namco Shanghai Anime Festival Canceled After Onstage Cutoff

The cancellations follow heightened tensions linked to remarks by Japan’s prime minister about Taiwan.

Overview

  • The three-day Bandai Namco experiential event opened on November 28 in Shanghai with large crowds and strong merchandise sales.
  • During a set by One Piece singer Maki Otsuki that evening, venue lights and audio were cut, forcing a mid-song halt, according to her official site.
  • Bandai Namco canceled the remainder of the festival, which had been scheduled to run through November 30.
  • An Ayumi Hamasaki concert planned in Shanghai for November 29 was also called off on November 28.
  • News outlets link the spate of suspensions to Chinese backlash over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Diet comments about a Taiwan contingency.