An exhibition based on the works of the celebrated Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has been postponed as relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate.
Studio Ghibli, the Oscar-winning anime studio which Miyazaki co-founded, announced the decision on Tuesday (Dec 9) without giving a reason.
"We apologise to the audience who have been looking forward to this event, and sincerely thank you for your understanding and support," the statement said. "Looking forward to seeing you again in the near future."
The exhibition at Canton Tower Theatre was scheduled to open on Christmas Day and run until October.
Fans who had already made arrangements to travel to the event took to social media to express their disappointment.
One woman who had booked plane tickets from Beijing to travel to the exhibition wrote online: "My children are big fans of Hayao Miyazaki. We arranged our itinerary to Guangdong once we noticed the news of this exhibition."
A slew of Japanese film releases, concerts and cultural events have already been cancelled or postponed in the wake of the row triggered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments that an attack on Taiwan could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and may prompt military intervention.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of China and has never renounced the use of force to reunite it with the mainland. Japan, in common with most countries, does not recognise the island as an independent state but opposes any attempt to take it by force.
Ayumi Hamasaki, a popular Japanese singer, had to cancel a concert in Shanghai last month and one planned for Macau next month.
"I sincerely apologise to everyone who was looking forward to it," she wrote on social media on Tuesday. "However, I will never give up on the future, our bond is eternal."
The row has also hit travel between the two countries, with China warning tourists and students not to go to Japan on safety grounds. Beijing has also reimposed a ban on Japanese seafood imports.
Chinese airlines have offered free refunds or flight changes for passengers who had booked tickets for Japan, a policy that will now apply for all bookings through to March.
On Thursday, China's foreign ministry issued its second travel warning for Japan, citing a recent earthquake.