Hello Kitty firm scraps Japan TV tie-up after 'anti-China' backlash
BEIJING: Sanrio, the Japanese company that owns the popular Hello Kitty character, apologised Thursday over its tie-up with a TV spy drama criticised as anti-China, cancelling a merchandise collaboration with the show.
Sanrio, the Japanese company behind Hello Kitty, announced on Thursday that it has cancelled a merchandise deal with a Chinese TV spy drama titled Vivant due to backlash over its anti-China sentiment. The decision comes after Chinese sponsors withdrew support from football star Kylian Mbappe after he made comments labeling Mao Zedong a dictator, which he later apologized for.
Sanrio's Chinese unit expressed regret for any concerns caused by the collaboration, stating that the project contained content at odds with the company's philosophy. Vivant depicted a Chinese-affiliated organization torturing a member of Japan's unofficial spy unit in one episode, which led to widespread criticism on social media and from state media.
The drama, created by private broadcaster TBS, was described as a fictional entertainment work, with the network's president asserting it does not favor conflict or endorse violence.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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