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| 14,000 Fans Affected as Ayumi Hamasaki’s Shanghai Performance Cancelled (Photo: FLASH Magazine) |
Japanese superstar Ayumi Hamasaki has announced that her long-awaited Shanghai performance scheduled for 29 November has been abruptly cancelled — and the news landed just hours after she and her 200-strong team finished building the entire stage.
The singer revealed the update through Instagram on the 28th, explaining that the crew had spent five intense days assembling the show, working side by side with both Japanese and Chinese staff.
According to Ayu, everything was ready to go when the team suddenly received a request earlier that morning asking for the concert to be called off.
In her statement, Ayumi Hamasaki said she didn’t intend to comment on matters outside her expertise, but she expressed deep regret for the people who had poured their energy into the show.
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Around 100 Chinese staff and another 100 crew members from Japan, including dancers and band members who travelled with her, had prepared for the big night — only to be told they would not be stepping onto the stage.
The singer also shared how difficult it is for her to accept the situation, especially knowing that 14,000 fans from across China, Japan, and various other countries had been planning to attend.
With the cancellation request arriving so late, Ayu said she wouldn’t even have the chance to face the audience directly to apologise before the team begins dismantling the set they had just completed.
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This comes just a day after Ayumi Hamasaki publicly mentioned that she had adjusted some parts of the Shanghai concert.
Following the tragic high-rise fire in Hong Kong on the 26th, she confirmed that certain staging elements — including red costumes and fire effects — would be removed out of respect. She had also sent her prayers to those affected.
With preparations now halted and the stage scheduled to be taken apart, this sudden cancellation marks one of the most high-profile show disruptions involving a Japanese artist in China this year.
Source: Yahoo JP