Amid continued tensions in China-Japan relations, most of the Japanese-style installations at a street known as a Japanese-themed street in Wuxi, Jiangsu, have reportedly been 'mostly dismantled.'
According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao on Sunday (March 29), there is a section known by locals as the Japanese-themed street at Wuxi Xindi Holiday Plaza, which houses various Japanese cuisine restaurants. The report states that recently there were still Japanese lanterns and signboards standing on the street, but some shops were undergoing renovations and were shielded with banners displaying the 'Core Socialist Values.'
An unnamed local official revealed that, due to the impact of tense China-Japan relations, government and Japanese-side exchange and cooperation activities have been greatly reduced, and the Japanese-themed street's installations have been 'mostly dismantled.'
Wuxi is a major gathering place for Japanese-invested enterprises in China and is also seen as a bridgehead for Sino-Japanese exchanges.
On the other hand, since 1988, Wuxi has held a cherry blossom tree-planting event every spring to pray for Sino-Japanese friendship, but due to the continued deterioration of China-Japan relations, the Japanese side has not received an invitation from the Chinese side this year.
The Japan-China Cherry Blossom Friendship Forest Conservation Association said that, except for years when infectious diseases were widespread, this is the first time the Japanese side is absent.
According to the website of the Japanese Embassy in China, in 1988, the first batch of 1,500 cherry blossom trees were planted at Wuxi's International Cherry Blossom Friendship Forest, and over the following 38 years, Japan has donated cherry blossom saplings to Wuxi every year. According to Kyodo News, there are about 30,000 cherry blossom trees in parks throughout Wuxi, making it one of China's most notable cherry blossom viewing spots.
After Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made a statement about the 'Taiwan issue' in November last year, China-Japan relations took a sharp turn for the worse, triggering a series of diplomatic incidents. China has urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, suspended imports of Japanese seafood, and restricted exports to Japan of items with both military and civilian uses, among other measures.