6 hours ago · Japan
Hello Kitty company cuts ties with Japanese spy show after China outcry
What's happening
SignalsMonitor is following this as a general story. The Guardian World, BBC Business, and South China Morning Post Asia are the outlets attached to this story. The reports are tied to Japan. The first report grouped here was at 29 Oct 2026, 03:16 UTC. 4 material updates are listed in the timeline. The headline in use is “Hello Kitty company cuts ties with Japanese spy show after China outcry”. This note is SignalsMonitor's own briefing, not the publisher's article.
What we know
Sanrio ends association with TV drama Vivant after China says portrayal of ruthless Chinese agents is ‘deliberate smear’ The company behind the successful Hello Kitty franchise has apologised and ended its commercial tie-up with a Japanese TV drama after Chinese state media and netizens condemned the show’s “deliberate smears” against…
Story timeline
Reports grouped into this story, earliest first. Exact repeats from the same outlet are collapsed.
- First reported by BBC Business
Hello Kitty maker ends collab with Japanese spy drama after backlash in China
- Picked up by BBC Business
Hello Kitty maker cuts ties with Japanese spy drama after China backlash
- New development reported by South China Morning Post Asia
Hello Kitty owner Sanrio scraps Japanese TV show Vivant deal over China backlash
- New development reported by The Guardian Business
Hello Kitty company cuts ties with Japanese spy show after China outcry
Same story, different outlets
3 headlinesEach line is that outlet's headline. The article stays on the publisher's site.