Anime festival in Hong Kong halted amid China-Japan diplomatic tensions
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An escalating diplomatic spat between China and Japan follows Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks about a Taiwan emergency.
PHOTO: AFP
TOKYO/HONG KONG - An annual animation festival slated for 2026 will be put off, according to organisers, amid an escalating diplomatic spat between China and Japan following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks about a Taiwan emergency.
The organisers of Anime Festival Asia Hong Kong said earlier that the event would be held in the city on Feb 14 and 15 in 2026, after a years-long hiatus caused by the pro-democracy protests that swept the semi-autonomous region from 2019 to 2020 and the ensuing pandemic.
In an Instagram post on Dec 26, they said they were “currently coordinating with relevant parties to finalise the new dates and details”, without providing a reason for the postponement.
In China, Japanese concerts and other events have been cancelled
