CHINA

China Delays Multiple Japanese Film Releases Amid Escalating Political Tensions

Published: Nov. 19, 2025 4:14 a.m. GMT+8

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A poster of “Crayon Shin-chan: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers” displayed on a cell phone.

China has delayed the release of several Japanese films, attributing the decision to subdued market performance and shifting audience sentiment, as political tensions rise between Beijing and Tokyo following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi concerning Taiwan.

China Film News, a publication under the National Film Administration, said screenings of Japanese animated titles “Crayon Shin-chan: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers” and “Cells at Work!” will be postponed. Both films were imported by China Film Group Corp. and were originally scheduled for release on Dec. 6 and Nov. 22, respectively.

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China delayed several Japanese film releases, citing weak box-office performance and shifting audience sentiment amid rising political tensions over Taiwan remarks by Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Japanese films accounted for less than 6% of China's box office over five years; in 2025, Japanese imports grossed 1.34 billion yuan, just 2.9% of annual takings as of Nov. 18.
China issued travel warnings for Japan, leading airlines to offer free refunds/rebookings, while Japan's tourism rebound faces risks due to declining China–Japan flight volumes.

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Who’s Who

China Film Group Corp.: China Film Group Corp. (中国电影集团公司) imported the Japanese animated films "Crayon Shin-chan: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers" and "Cells at Work!". Both films had their release postponed due to political tensions between China and Japan and shifting audience sentiment. Additionally, China Film Group had plans to import other Japanese titles, including a rerelease of "Detective Conan: The Time-Bombed Skyscraper" and "First Kiss."

Maoyan: Maoyan is one of the ticketing platforms that continued selling tickets for "Cells at Work!" and "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba" despite online speculation of their removal from theaters. This indicates that as of the article's writing, Maoyan had not received official notification regarding the cancellation of these film screenings.

Taopiaopiao: Taopiaopiao is a ticketing platform. Despite reports of postponed Japanese film releases and speculation about films being removed, Taopiaopiao, along with Maoyan, continued selling tickets for "Cells at Work!" and "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba." The platform had not issued withdrawal notices for the films.

Air China: Air China is a Chinese airline that, along with China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, introduced free rebooking and refund policies for Japan-bound flights through year-end. This decision was made in response to a rare security warning issued by Beijing for Chinese citizens in Japan due to rising political tensions.

China Eastern Airlines: China Eastern Airlines, among other Chinese airlines, responded to increased political tensions between China and Japan by introducing free rebooking and refund policies for Japan-bound flights through year-end. This move followed a security warning issued by Beijing to Chinese citizens in Japan, advising against travel due to an increasingly hostile environment.

China Southern Airlines: China Southern Airlines has introduced free rebooking and refund policies for Japan-bound flights through year-end. This decision comes amidst growing political tensions between Beijing and Tokyo, following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi concerning Taiwan. Aviation data indicates a four-week decline in China-Japan flight volumes.

AI generated, for reference only