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BackJapanese drama "VIVANT" insults China! Sanrio cuts quickly and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds
Japanese drama "VIVANT" insults China! Sanrio cuts quickly and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds
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自由时报2 hours agoCulture2 min readChinaView original

Japanese drama "VIVANT" insults China! Sanrio cuts quickly and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds

VIVANTSakai MasatoSanrio

Quick Look

  • The Japanese drama "VIVANT" starring Sakai Masato, Abe Hiroshi and others caused controversy due to accusations of "insulting China".
  • Sanrio urgently announced the termination of joint promotions with the drama.
  • Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the play attempts to smear China through cultural products and spread anti-China sentiments.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

The Japanese drama "VIVANT" caused controversy due to its plot involving Chinese elements, causing business partner Sanrio to announce the termination of the joint brand.

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Tori Matsuzaka (from left), Fumi Nikaido, Masato Sakai, Hiroshi Abe, and Koji Yakusho collaborate in the Japanese drama "VIVANT". (Extracted from X platform)

Japan's TBS topical masterpiece "VIVANT" starring Sakai Masato, Abe Hiroshi, Ninomiya Kazuya and other superstars has launched its second season. It has swept Japan, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. However, it has recently been criticized by China for "insulting China". The controversy has even spread to commercial cooperation brands. The well-known brand Sanrio issued an emergency public apology in the middle of the night and announced the complete termination of all joint promotions with "VIVANT". In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded, "Japan attempts to vilify and smear China through cultural products and spread anti-China sentiments."

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun hosted a regular press conference today (29th). A reporter from Reuters asked that Japan's Sanrio canceled its cooperation contract with the Japanese TV series "VIVANT" because the TV series had a negative portrayal of China. What is China's comment on this?

Guo Jiakun said that they have noticed the relevant reports. This TV series once again reveals that there is always a force in Japan that attempts to vilify China and spread anti-China sentiment through cultural products. This should arouse the vigilance of the international community and knowledgeable people in Japan.

Open Questions

  • Have other brands followed suit and terminated cooperation?
  • Will the Japanese production unit respond to this?

Related Topics

VIVANT
PeopleTori MatsuzakaNikaido FumiSakai MasatoHiroshi Abe
OrganizationsTBSSanrioMinistry of Foreign Affairs of ChinaReuters
TopicsSakai MasatoSanrioInsult ChinaMinistry of Foreign Affairs of China
This article was originally published by 自由时报.

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