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Who Is Maki Otsuki? Japanese Singer, Known For ‘One Piece’, Taken Off Stage In Shanghai, Concert Halted, Here’s What Really Happened

One Piece singer Maki Otsuki was abruptly pulled off stage at the Bandai Namco Festival in Shanghai as organizers shut down the event amid rising Japan–China tensions. The sudden halt also cancelled acts like Momoiro Clover Z, with Otsuki’s agency citing “unavoidable circumstances.”

Published by Ashish Kumar Singh
Published: November 30, 2025 16:02:26 IST

Popular Japanese anime singer pulled off stage in Shanghai

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.

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.

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