Sanrio severs Vivant tie-up after China backlash over spy drama

Sanrio terminated its merchandise collaboration with Japanese drama Vivant following criticism in China, where the show's espionage themes and portrayal of Japan's intelligence activities stoked nationalist sentiment. The move reflects corporate sensitivity to Chinese consumer boycotts and underscores the commercial risk of cultural products touching on Sino-Japanese tensions. Sanrio's apology signals a retreat from politically charged content to protect its China market position.

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