Rising diplomatic tensions between China and Japan have dealt a harsh blow to the community of otaku in Chinese territory. In a move that surprised fans of the Asian format, local authorities in Shanghai began issuing verbal warnings to music venues to ban groups from performing songs with Japanese lyrics during their live shows.

The verbal restrictions, applied since July, target the thriving underground idols circuit. In China, there are over 250 such groups, made up of young fans who often wear Lolita-style outfits, interact with the audience in Japanese, and sing covers of popular songs from Japanese series and groups. Since artists in the country must submit song lists and lyrics for official review before any event, the groups have had to urgently switch their repertoires to Chinese-translated songs to perform.

This measure is a continuation of a political rift that escalated late last year, leading to the mass cancellation of Japanese artists’ concerts, entertainment industry events, and restrictions on cosplay of popular characters at local conventions. While Chinese singers previously filled show slots by performing songs in their original language, new instructions now completely ban singing in Japanese within the city.

Shanghai has historically been the epicenter of the otaku subculture and the independent idols movement in China. Japanese music influence gave rise to a massive community of creators and fans who adopted the dynamics of Tokyo stages. Despite the severity of the warnings reported by event organizers and venue owners, central authorities have not yet issued an official written statement on the matter.

As diplomatic conflicts directly impact music and conventions, do you think China’s underground idols scene will survive by fully adapting to the local language or lose most of its fans?