Music, tourism and seafood: How Japan-China feud over Taiwan is entering the cultural space

The China-Japan feud over Taiwan has started taking a cultural toll after Chinese authorities cancelled several concerts and performances featuring Japanese artists and Chinese cruise operators have begun to stay away from Japanese ports.

The development comes as a diplomatic row between China and Japan continues to simmer after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi commented on Taiwan, seen as an interference by China as it considers the island-nation part of its own territory.

China and Japan are key trading partners, but historical mistrust and friction over territorial rivalries and military spending often test those ties.

Takaichi, a conservative and China hawk, has toned down her rhetoric since assuming office last month.

Japanese concerts go out of tune

According to a report by Reuters, Chinese revellers started cancelling their bookings for the long-awaited concert by Japanese jazz veteran Yoshio Suzuki. The report said that Yuzuki’s concert was stopped after police in plain clothes arrived at the venue.

Christian Petersen-Clausen, a Norwegian concert promoter and documentary filmmaker based in China, said, “After less than one minute, the venue owner came to me and said the police told him all concerts with Japanese people are cancelled - and there is no discussion.”

He added that dozens of performances by Japanese singers and musicians have been cancelled across major cities in China following PM Takaichi’s comment struck a nerve in the country.

Reports indicate that venues in China have been advised that concerts featuring Japanese artists throughout 2025 could be cancelled, with instructions not to apply for new bookings involving Japanese acts. Promoters have also been told to refrain from sending text messages advertising upcoming performances by Japanese artists.

Japanese tourism hurt

Japanese tourism expected to lose $1.2 billion as the feud over Taiwan escalates.

Last week, China  advised its citizens  against travelling to Japan and offered full refunds to people who had already booked their tickets to fly down to the country.

So far, around 30 per cent of the  1.44 million trips to Japan from China  planned for next month have been cancelled, according to data from China Trading Desk. About 70 per cent of this drop comes from near-term departures being cancelled or delayed.

Subramania Bhatt, chief executive of China Trading Desk, estimates that the shift will cut at least $500 million in spending from Japan, with the potential for losses reaching up to $1.2 billion. His assessment draws on data showing that Chinese tourists typically spend more than $900 million each month, along with overseas expenditure figures from UnionPay and other financial services providers.

Seafood ban

China also announced a full suspension of all Japanese seafood imports earlier this week.

According to Kyodo News, China told Japan the renewed ban is needed because further monitoring is required of the Fukushima water release.

A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, reiterated the country’s commitment to stringent food safety measures, saying China will continue both international monitoring and its own independent sampling of Japanese aquatic products.