Key facts
- Sanrio cancelled a merchandise collaboration with the Japanese TV show "Vivant".
- The show "Vivant" depicts Chinese agents capturing and torturing Japanese spies.
- Sanrio cited expressions inconsistent with its corporate philosophy for the termination.
- Sanrio's Chinese subsidiary apologized for the concern caused.
Sanrio, the maker of Hello Kitty, has cancelled a merchandise collaboration with the Japanese TV show "Vivant" after facing backlash in China. The show, produced by TBS, depicts fictional Chinese intelligence agents capturing and torturing Japanese spies, drawing criticism from Chinese state media and social media users. Sanrio's Chinese subsidiary stated that the collaboration contained expressions inconsistent with the company's corporate philosophy and announced the termination of all subsequent projects. The incident highlights the challenges foreign firms face in the Chinese market, occurring shortly after French soccer star Kylian Mbappe apologized for remarks that led to sponsors cutting ties with him. Sanrio booked sales of 9.8 billion yen ($62 million) in China in the first quarter, a nearly 25% increase year-on-year.