The releases of at least two popular Japanese films have been postponed in China due to a dispute over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks regarding Taiwan.
Delayed releases include Cells at Work! and Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! Kasukabe’s spicy dancers, according to Chinese state media CCTV.
Cinema tickets are still available for hit Japanese animated film Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, the BBC has confirmed, but CCTV said sales in China had recently fallen as the conflict intensified.
Takaichi, who has been a vocal critic of China and its activities in the region, suggested earlier this month that Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan.
Beijing considers Taiwan – where the government overthrown by the Chinese communist revolution fled – as a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland.
Film distributors and importers decided to postpone releases after reassessing the overall prospects of Japanese films in China and Chinese audience sentiment, CCTV reported Monday.
Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers, an animated comedy about the adventures of a young boy and his friends, was scheduled to be released in the coming weeks.
Cells at work! – whose release has also been postponed – is a live-action film based on a manga about human blood cells fighting viruses.
CCTV did not say how long the release of the films would be delayed.
The state-controlled media outlet said Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle faced “strong dissatisfaction from Chinese audiences” following Takaichi’s remarks.
The BBC has contacted the films’ distributors, including Japanese media giant Toho.
Takaichi told the Japanese parliament on November 7: “If there are battleships and the use of force, no matter how you think about it, it could constitute a survival-threatening situation. »
Beijing has since urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan and asked students to reconsider studying there, citing security risks.
Japanese tourism, airline and retail stocks fell sharply as investors weighed the impact of the Chinese response.
China is a key source of tourism for Japan, with nearly 7.5 million visitors in the first nine months of this year.
Beijing believes that over time, Taiwan will return to Chinese control. It does not exclude the use of force to achieve this objective.
But many Taiwanese consider themselves part of a separate nation — even though most favor maintaining the status quo in which Taiwan does not declare independence from China or unite with it.
