Scheduled releases of upcoming Japanese films suspended amid market concerns

The scheduled releases of imported Japanese films have been suspended as distributors conduct a comprehensive assessment of their market performance and gauge the prevailing sentiment among Chinese moviegoers, according to domestic distributors.

The affected projects include the animated feature Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers - the latest installment about the titular naughty boy - and the fantasy comedy Cells at Work!.

The decision, made cautiously by domestic insiders, follows a notable market shift observed with the recent release of the animated film Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. Despite the film's strong franchise popularity and broad fan base — which has helped it top the Chinese mainland's box office charts since its opening day — the film's earnings have declined sharply just days after its Nov 13 premiere, partly due to recent provocative remarks on Taiwan by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Chinese importers and distributors indicated that the current tensions are likely influencing Chinese audience perceptions of Japanese films, and their decision adheres to market principles and respects the audience's sentiments.

As of Tuesday, China's box office revenue this year has exceeded 45.6 billion yuan ($6.4 billion), firmly securing its position as the world's second-largest film market. More than 88 percent of the total revenue — 40.3 billion yuan — has been generated by domestic films, according to the industry data tracker Maoyan.