Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the public to remain alert to Japanese efforts to defame China through the use of cultural products during a regular press briefing in Beijing. The statement came after Sanrio, the company that owns Hello Kitty, terminated a merchandise and marketing partnership with the Japanese television series Vivant and apologized for the tie-up after the program’s portrayal of Chinese characters triggered backlash in the mainland.
The spy drama faced condemnation from Chinese viewers and state media over its depiction of wartime history, with critics alleging that torture scenes in the show mirrored atrocities committed by Japanese troops in World War II. This cancellation is the second incident in several days to underscore the political pressures foreign firms and celebrities encounter while operating in China’s consumer market.