China suspends Japanese film releases amid row over Takaichi's Taiwan remarks

In mid-November 2025, China moved to halt the release of Japanese films in its cinemas, as a diplomatic dispute with Tokyo deepened. The row began after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could pose a threat to Japan's survival and might require a military response.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the releases of several Japanese titles had been postponed, including the animated Crayon Shin-chan: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers and the live-action Cells at Work!. Chinese media described the decision as a response to audience sentiment and weak market conditions, not as an official ban. Later reports said China's film regulator had frozen approvals for new Japanese titles and that other films already approved were pushed back indefinitely.

The move mattered because Japanese animation is hugely popular in China and a major source of box-office revenue. It was part of a wider set of measures, including travel warnings, that Beijing took against Japan. It left Chinese fans of Japanese franchises looking for other ways to watch new releases.