Among those artists is Maki Otsuki, known for her contributions to the anime musical landscape, including being one of the performers of the theme song for “One-Piece.” On Friday, she encountered an unusual interruption as seen on her concert stop in Shanghai. The performance occurred as part of the Bandai Namco Festival 2025. In recent months, escalating tensions between Japan and China have threatened to eclipse the event.
Though Otsuki was halfway through her set, a situation entirely beyond her control Class Act’s placed on the event required immediate action to remove her from the stage. Eyewitnesses described two people ushering her out, sending fans home angry and heartbroken. Yet this abrupt departure is part of a disturbing trend. Now, cultural exchanges are more and more affected by diplomatic disagreements between the two countries.
On Saturday, Maki Otsuki’s management addressed the disruption, posting a statement on her official website that reflected the challenging environment surrounding her performance. The statement didn’t go into specifics but did say that the singer’s appearance was stopped due to “circumstances beyond their control.”
The incident has wider implications, as it affected another notable group that was to play at the festival. Momoiro Clover Z, a popular Japanese girl idol group, was set to appear the following day, facing uncertainty in light of the escalating diplomatic tensions.
Tokyo and Beijing had a particularly nasty exchange this week after comments attributable to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Yet these positive changes have fueled fears over imbalances in people-to-people exchanges between Asia’s two largest economic powers. Organizers of the festival acknowledged the situation, stating they were “comprehensively taking into consideration various factors” in their decision-making processes.
In a related context, renowned artist Ayumi Hamasaki expressed her views on the role of entertainment amidst such tensions, stating, “I still strongly believe that entertainment should be a bridge that connects us, and that I should be the creator of that bridge.” Her sentiments speak to so many of us who see cultural events as the catalyst for building greater understanding and collaboration.
As Japan and China continue to cruise these precarious diplomatic waters, the future of any such cultural exchange may hang in the balance. Whether it’s international artists such as Maki Otsuki or homegrown talent such as idol group Momoiro Clover Z, entertainment represents a global world. Yet now they find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place of political gridlock.