China has effectively begun sanctions under the ‘ban on Japan (限日令)’ by indefinitely putting the release of Japanese animated films on hold. In connection with remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about possible Self-Defense Forces involvement in a Taiwan contingency, retaliation appears to be expanding to the cultural content sector.

China Central Television (CCTV), a state broadcaster, reported on the 18th that the release of Japanese animated films including <Crayon Shin-chan: Ultra-Flashy! Blazing Ttuknip Village Dancers> and <Cells at Work> has been postponed indefinitely.

A distributor told CCTV that this was a “careful decision based on the box-office performance of imported Japanese films and the response of Chinese audiences.” CCTV also reported that on day four of release, the box-office take of the Japanese animated film <Demon Slayer: Infinite Castle Arc>, which had been on a strong run in Chinese theaters, fell to 20 million yuan (about 4.1 billion won).

<Demon Slayer> ranked first in advance ticket sales on the first day of its mainland China release on the 14th, and recorded a three-day cumulative revenue of 380 million yuan (about 78.2 billion won) through the 16th.

State media in China continued their offensive against Prime Minister Takaichi. The Global Times (GT), an English-language newspaper under the People’s Daily, argued in an editorial-style ‘GT Voice’ column that “Prime Minister Takaichi’s recent radical remarks regarding the Taiwan issue add unnecessary risks to an already fragile Japanese economy,” and that “the narrower the room for maneuver in the economy, the more arduous Japan’s recovery journey will become.”

China, at a director-general-level meeting, says “Takaichi is malicious… Japan, set it right through actions”

GT added that “with multiple difficulties overlapping, including fiscal pressure, rising prices, weak domestic demand, and external tariff shocks, there is almost no room for trial and error for Japan’s economy,” and warned that “if Japan continues to act rashly on sensitive issues or brings additional geopolitical risks, uncertainty will grow and downward pressure on the economy will intensify.”

China began retaliation targeting Japan’s economy by issuing an advisory against travel to Japan on the 14th. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 7.48 million Chinese tourists visited Japan in the third quarter, an increase of more than 40% from a year earlier. Spending by Chinese tourists in Japan from January to September reached 1.6443 trillion yen (about 15.5 trillion won). If Chinese travelers stay away during the year-end and New Year holiday season, a blow to Japan’s tourism industry appears inevitable.

Exchange events between local governments are also being canceled due to the travel advisory. According to Kyodo News and other Japanese media, Xuzhou City in China’s Jiangsu Province notified Handa City in Aichi Prefecture, a sister city, on the 15th that it would postpone a visit originally scheduled for the 18th. Nonoichi City in Ishikawa Prefecture also said a planned visit by an education friendship delegation from Shenzhen Primary School in China was postponed the previous day.

Kanai Masaaki, director-general for Asian and Oceanian Affairs at Japan’s Foreign Ministry, met Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Department of Asian Affairs at China’s Foreign Ministry, in Beijing that day to explain Japan’s position regarding Prime Minister Takaichi’s remarks. NHK reported that Japan conveyed that the prime minister’s statement in the Diet does not change the government’s existing stance on cross-strait issues, and that even if there are differences in position, people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan should proceed without disruption.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, Liu said at the meeting that “the nature and impact of Prime Minister Takaichi’s remarks are extremely malicious, provoking indignation and condemnation among the Chinese public,” and “we sternly urge the Japanese side to immediately withdraw the erroneous remarks and to correct the mistake through concrete actions in order to safeguard the political foundation of ChinaJapan relations.”

Japan, concerned about rising anti-Japanese sentiment in China, called on Japanese nationals in China to pay attention to safety. In a notice titled “Safety measures based on recent local reporting related to JapanChina relations,” posted on the website of the Embassy of Japan in China on the 17th, the mission advised, “When going out, be mindful of suspicious approaches, move in groups when possible, and take all necessary steps to ensure safety.”