World

Hello Kitty company cuts ties with Japanese spy show after China outcry

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 29/10/2026, 08:09:25 UTC.

Briefings

Sanrio ended its commercial tie-up with the Japanese TV drama Vivant following China's condemnation of the show's portrayal of Chinese agents as 'deliberate smears.' The company apologized and stated the drama contained elements inconsistent with its core values, citing the backlash from Chinese state media and netizens.

Key points

• Sanrio ended commercial tie-up with Japanese TV drama Vivant after China condemned the show's portrayal of Chinese agents as 'deliberate smears'.

Context

The Hello Kitty franchise, owned by Sanrio, has global popularity. The drama Vivant was criticized by Chinese authorities and netizens for depicting Chinese agents as ruthless, leading to Sanrio's decision to sever ties.

Limitations

Evidence covers only the specific drama Vivant and the immediate Sanrio response. No details on the scope of China's condemnation, the number of affected characters, or future Sanrio policies are provided.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 29/10/2026, 08:50:26 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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