Japanese singer Maki Otsuki, famous for singing the theme songs for One Piece, got yanked off stage in Shanghai on Friday, right in the middle of her set. The timing’s no accident; tensions between Japan and China have been heating up lately.
Who is Maki Otsuki?
Japanese anime singer was supposed to perform at the Bandai Namco Festival 2025, a two-day event packed with Japanese acts. But halfway through her show, the lights went out. The sound cut off. Otsuki had no choice but to stop right there.
Her agency later called it an “unavoidable circumstance.”
Organizers didn’t just pull the plug on her, they ended the whole festival. That meant other artists, like the popular idol group Momoiro Clover Z, didn’t get to perform either.
Things have been tense between Japan and China since Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan might get involved if China attacked Taiwan. China didn’t take that lightly.
This is China. It is a global enemy. Chinese state censors cut off a famous Japanese singer mid-performance in Shanghai. They targeted singer Maki Otsuki for humiliation purely because she was Japanese.
They cut the stage lighting and music before two members of the stage crew… pic.twitter.com/Z8i1969nY9
— Maj Gen Harsha Kakar (@kakar_harsha) November 29, 2025
Concert halted: What exactly happened?
They summoned Japan’s ambassador and fired off some strong warnings, making it clear they’re not backing down on regional issues.
Now, cultural events are getting caught in the crossfire. Just recently, other Japanese acts including pop star Ayumi Hamasaki and jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara had their shows in China cancelled.
It’s becoming a pattern: Chinese authorities seem to be sending a message by keeping Japanese celebrities away during these rocky times.
Fans at the festival were pretty upset and confused when everything stopped so suddenly. People online wanted answers, asking organizers to explain why Otsuki was pulled mid-performance.
With tensions still running high, it looks like Japanese artists will have a tough time performing in China for a while. That’s not just bad news for the fans it puts a real strain on cultural exchange between the two countries.
