China and Japan are two of Asia’s most powerful nations and the region’s biggest trading partners. Yet centuries of intense rivalry mean their economic embrace can never be taken for granted.

No end in sight to spat between Japan and China over Taiwan, as neither Tokyo nor Beijing shows signs of backing down.

The outlook for business diplomacy is uncertain with visits planned for late January by business leaders, now in limbo. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Diplomatic crises often change the stakes for each, and for the Japanese, the consequences of this crisis are multifaceted. Japan’s new prime minister, Takaichi Sanae, was the initial focal point. As the Washington Post editorial board aptly noted,

The Japanese entertainment industry has become increasingly reliant on China in recent years. China is the world’s second-largest market for anime, with fantasy films like “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Infinity Castle,” which was released last month, rising to the top of the Chinese box office.

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Sunday accused the Chinese fighter jets of directing their fire-control radar at Japanese aircraft during two separate incidents

As China-Japan diplomatic row ripples into entertainment, over 30 Japanese performances have been abruptly cancelled, leaving millions of fans of Japanese culture in China worried about a potential broader cultural ban.