Sanrio ends collaboration with Japanese television drama over China criticism

Sanrio, the Japanese company behind Hello Kitty, has ended its partnership with the TV drama Vivant after the show faced criticism in China. Chinese viewers were angry about scenes showing wartime torture. Sanrio posted an apology on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform. The company said the drama contained content that did not match its values. It also promised to check future partnerships more carefully. China is an important market for Sanrio. In the year to March, the company's Chinese sales grew 39% to 4.7 billion yen, and profits rose 19%. The case shows how global companies must be careful about historical sensitivities when they operate in China.