Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki Photo: Screenshot from social media platform X

Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki announced on November 28 via social media the cancellation of her scheduled Shanghai concert next day, igniting online controversy among netizens in Japan and China over the weekend, as tensions in Japan-China relations, triggered by erroneous remarks on Taiwan question from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, escalated, according to multiple media reports. 

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama commented the cancellation on Sunday, stating that it's hard to measure how many people have been hurt and how much national interests have been damaged by Prime Minister Takaichi's reckless remark.

On the afternoon of November 28, the organizer of Hamasaki's Shanghai concert announced the cancellation of the event, citing "force majeure" as the reason. Tickets will be fully refunded within 30 days. The concert was originally scheduled for the evening of November 29.

Hamasaki is a singer, songwriter, actress, model and television host. In 1995, she starred in the youth romance film Like Grains of Sand. In 1998, she released her debut single EP Poker Face, marking the start of her professional career. Hamasaki's Shanghai performance was part of her ongoing Ayumi Hamasaki Asia Tour 2025, which began in June in Japan.

Hamasaki also shared the information on her Instagram Stories. She stated that she received the cancellation notice on the morning of November 28 and wrote to her fans and staff, "Please forgive me for having to make such distressing news regarding the Shanghai performance." She did not disclose the specific reason for the concert cancellation, but added, "I have no intention of commenting on matters I have no knowledge of."

On social media platforms X, some netizens who comment in Japanese language seem to want to use the cancellation of concerts as a reason to attack China, but several Japanese media outlets noted the true reason of the issue. 

Japanese magazine Flash said in a report that, in response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks related to the Taiwan Straits, a cooling in Japan-China relations has occurred, which has had an impact on the entertainment industry as well. Jiji also reported that, following Takaichi's remarks concerning the Taiwan question, Japan-China tension has emerged, and in China, cancellations of performances by Japanese artists have been occurring one after another.

Regarding the cancellation of Ayumi Hamasaki's concert, former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama wrote on the social media platform on Sunday: "Ayumi Hamasaki-san believes that entertainment is a bridge that connects people. Although her Shanghai concert was canceled, it seems that she still performed as scheduled, without an audience. I was deeply moved."He futher noted that it's hard to measure how many people have been hurt and how much national interests have been damaged by Prime Minister Takaichi's reckless remark on Taiwan question. 

Additionally, the photo Hamasaki posted on Instagram showing her performing on an empty stage has also sparked heated discussions. "With 14,000 empty seats but feeling so much love from TAS fans all over the world, it was one of the most unforgettable shows ever for me," she wrote.

According to multiple posts from netizens on Sina Weibo, several Japanese artists' performances have been recently canceled. Some netizens expressed understanding, with one user named "Collecting Little Raindrops" commenting that if it weren't for Takaichi's erroneous remarks on the Taiwan question, which publicly provoked China, this situation would not have occurred. Some netizens also stated that national interests come before everything else.  

On X, many netizens continued to follow this issue. One user named yoniumuhibi commented in a conversational tone, addressing Takaichi in Japanese: "Takaichi, Trump told you, 'Don't provoke China over the Taiwan question.' If that's the case, you should just listen and retract your statement. The US considers the US-China deal important, and it's a nuisance for Takaichi to stir up conflict in East Asia. If you stubbornly insist and push too hard, it will mess up Japan-US relations too."   

Previously, in response to Takaichi's claim at the debate with opposition party leaders that "having renounced all rights and claims under the Treaty of San Francisco, we are not in a position to recognize Taiwan's legal status," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated at a press conference on November 17 that Takaichi deliberately chose not to mention the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation — two international legal documents with full effect and underscored in the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, and other bilateral treaties and she singularly brought up the illegal and invalid "Treaty of San Francisco."

That once again shows that the prime minister remains unwilling to own up to the wrongdoing and turn back from the erroneous course, and continues to damage the political foundation of China-Japan relations established under the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries, showing no regard for the authority of the UN and openly challenging the postwar international order and basic norms in international law, and even seeks to play up the so-called notion that Taiwan's status is undetermined. That just compounds the wrongdoing, Guo said. 

"China firmly rejects that and calls for utmost vigilance from the international community. We once again urge the Japanese side to reflect on and correct its wrongdoing, retract the erroneous remarks, and take practical steps to honor its commitments to China and do what is least expected of Japan as a UN member state," said the spokesperson.