Hello Kitty owner Sanrio axes Japan show ties after China furore

TOKYO – Sanrio apologised and scrapped a collaboration with Japanese television drama Vivant after the spy programme drew criticism in China over its portrayal of wartime history.The Japanese company behind Hello Kitty will halt all collaborations with the TV show because it included “expressions inconsistent with Sanrio’s corporate philosophy”, according to a statement posted on its official Weibo account.Sanrio said it would also strengthen its review procedures for future collaborations.Criticism of the drama intensified over the past week in Chinese state media outlets including CCTV, the People’s Daily and the Global Times.The reports and commentaries accused the show distorting the history of Japan’s wartime aggression against China, including scenes that were interpreted as attributing atrocities committed by Japanese forces to Chinese people. “Hello Kitty should not dance with Japan’s right wing,” the Global Times said in a commentary on Oct 29.“The content and ideology of this series reflect the historical outlook and anti-China narrative of the current conservative Japanese right-wing administration, catering to the trend of right-wing extremism in Japanese society.”Discussion of Sanrio cancelling the collaboration was the top trending item on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Oct 29.So far, the tie-up has released merchandise featuring characters including Hello Kitty and My Melody dressed as characters from Vivant. China and Japan have been locked in a stalemate since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in late 2025 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan – a designation that could provide legal justification for Tokyo to deploy its military.Tensions have remained elevated, with Beijing imposing various export controls on Japan.The Sanrio outcry comes at a particularly sensitive political moment in China, with officials exercising caution ahead of a major Communist Party meeting this week and preparations ramping up for the 2027 party congress, the once-every-five-years gathering that sets the country’s top leadership.It follows this week’s rapid backlash against French football star Kylian Mbappe over comments perceived as insulting founding father Mao Zedong, underscoring how quickly cultural or political missteps can become commercial liabilities for celebrities and global brands seeking to tap China’s lucrative market.China has become a key growth driver for Sanrio, which has more than 60 stores in the country.Sales in China jumped 83% in the fiscal year ended March, compared with 37% growth across its broader overseas business.China accounts for about 40% of overseas sales and roughly a quarter of operating profit. BLOOMBERG