China Restricts Japanese Films at Film Festivals

China has slapped official restrictions on tourism and trade with Japan since the row erupted in November, but so far there has been no official ban on the cultural sector. However, the Shanghai International Film Festival, which begins this Friday, does not have any Japanese films on its line-up for the first time in 20 years. It comes after the Beijing International Film Festival, held in April, also dropped its programme of Japanese movies. An arts worker in Shanghai said she was disappointed there was nothing from Japan at this year’s film festival but that it was “not entirely surprising”.