Miyiyi Riya Supports One-China, Successfully Performs in Beijing; Japanese Artists May Be Forced to Make Statements

Last month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angered China with remarks about a 'Taiwan emergency,' resulting in over a month of declining Sino-Japanese relations. Cultural and entertainment exchanges have also been affected, and Japanese artists' performances in China have faced frequent obstacles. In response, 'Sisters Who Make Waves 2023' (also known as 'Sister Lang 4') singer Miyiyi Riya publicly declared on Weibo: 'I will always support One China.' In the end, she was able to successfully perform in Beijing, which led well-known writer Minefumi Yasuda to sigh: 'In the future, it is not impossible for Japanese artists to make similar statements to continue their activities in China.'

Amidst a wave of 'canceled' performances, Miyiyi Riya was able to hold a large-scale concert at Beijing Gymnasium. After the show, she posted in Chinese on IG, sharing concert photos and words of gratitude, and stated that the event was a complete success. But even earlier, on November 18, she had already publicly posted on Weibo: 'To me, China is my second home; Chinese friends are all family I treasure. I will always support One China.'

Yasuda analyzed that government agencies do not force artists to make political statements, but it is impossible to know whether an artist 'voluntarily posts' or not. However, as everyone can imagine, if they do not take the initiative to express their position, they may face situations like those of Ayumi Hamasaki and Maki Otsuki. 'Rather than getting into trouble for not making a statement, it's better to say something first.'

At present, whether Japanese artists can perform as usual in China remains uncertain. In particular, the popular group 'YOASOBI' recently announced that they will embark on an Asian tour next year with a stop in Hong Kong. Whether the concert can take place as scheduled has become a major concern for fans. However, Yasuda believes that, although Hong Kong's degree of freedom has shrunk, 'the way they anticipate authorities' wishes is different.' Compared with Mainland China, the success rate for performances there is still higher.