Chinese media continued to report criticism surrounding VIVANT, while CCTV condemned the TBS president's press conference. Following Sanrio's announcement that it was canceling the collaboration, the potential impact on Japanese companies in the Chinese market has also drawn attention.
China's state broadcaster CCTV published an article on the 29th condemning the TBS president's press conference as a “Japanese company's evasion of responsibility.” The article said that the drama VIVANT contains expressions suggesting hostility toward a particular country, and reported reactions from readers who were unconvinced by the Japanese side's explanation.
At the same time, Chinese media also directed criticism at Sanrio, which had collaborated with VIVANT. The Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the People's Daily, argued that “Hello Kitty should not dance alongside the Japanese right wing.” In response, Sanrio Shanghai's trading company announced that it was canceling the collaboration.
Sanrio's headquarters in Japan also announced the end of the collaboration on its official website on the 29th. It apologized, saying that it had determined the expressions were inconsistent with the company's corporate philosophy, and announced that it would also cancel related projects and promotions going forward. The Chinese response also referred to past boycotts involving historical perceptions and territorial issues.
These developments are said to have the potential to affect Japanese companies' businesses in the Chinese market, and a resurgence of boycott movements is a concern depending on how events unfold.