Mainland Chinese tourists visit Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo, on November 20, 2025. Louise Delmotte/AP Beijing —

Lily Chen was beyond thrilled to see the Japanese singer she’s been a fan of for two decades, waiting outside with a crowd to enter the Beijing venue on a windy, chilly Wednesday night.

The concert time arrived, but the door stayed shut. Then, the harsh news hit: The concert was canceled.

“It was a huge pity,” the 35-year-old recalled.

The organizer cited “equipment failure” at the venue, but fans suspect it was linked to a major diplomatic row between China and Japan , after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently suggested that Tokyo could respond militarily if China moved to take control of Taiwan by force. That’s a “red line” for

See Full Page