Shanghai officials ban Japanese-language songs for underground idol groups amid China-Japan tensions

Since July, district officials in Shanghai have issued verbal notices to music venues prohibiting performances of songs with Japanese lyrics, targeting amateur underground idol groups that often dress in Lolita-style outfits and sing Japanese pop and anime themes. The directive aligns with Beijing’s broader response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s November parliamentary comments suggesting Japan could deploy its defence forces in a Taiwan dispute, which has led to the cancellation of Japanese movies, concerts and animation events in China.

Groups have been forced to substitute planned Japanese numbers with Chinese songs, and a Shanghai idol member confirmed the change. Industry sources say the local orders reflect the central government’s stance toward Japan, and that Chinese performers who previously filled gaps left by canceled Japanese acts can no longer do so. The crackdown illustrates the widening cultural fallout of the diplomatic row between the two nations.