Pop star Fujii Kaze has become the latest Japanese act to cancel a show in Hong Kong, which was scheduled as part of his world tour this year.

Without offering a reason, Kaze’s official website on Tuesday stated: “Show in Hong Kong has been cancelled”.

Hong Kong was originally listed as one of the stops in his “Prema World Tour” last year.

The tour, which kicks off in October, will cover Asia, Europe and North America, with Asian dates confirmed for Kaohsiung, Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo, Bangkok and Seoul.

Seoul has been added for one show early next year following the cancellation of the Hong Kong leg.

Dates for shows in Cologne, London, Paris and six North American cities have not yet been announced.

Kaze, 28, is a singer-songwriter from Okayama who has built one of the most notable careers among Reiwa-era Japanese artists, moving from YouTube piano covers to viral global hits and arena tours.

Reiwa, which means “beautiful harmony”, refers to the new imperial era that began on May 1, 2019, following the abdication of Emperor Akihito and the elevation of his son Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Kaze first drew attention by posting piano covers on YouTube when he was 12, then broke through with his 2019 debut single “Nan-Nan.”

The singer, who made his debut at Coachella – the massive music festival in the California desert – this month, has enjoyed strong box-office appeal in the city.

His 2023 debut at Baptist University’s Academic Community Hall sold out instantly, while two nights at AsiaWorld-Expo Arena in December 2024 drew more than 20,000 fans.

The cancellation comes amid a wider pattern of Japanese acts pulling out of Hong Kong at a time when Sino-Japanese relations remain tense after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Japan could deploy its military in the event of a contingency involving Taiwan.

Veteran pop star Kumi Koda cancelled her 25th Anniversary “De-Code” Tour stop at AsiaWorld-Expo in March this year, citing “force majeure circumstances”.

Rock band One OK Rock from the country also called off two concerts at Central Harbourfront scheduled for May, citing unforeseen circumstances.

Several Japanese artists have also cancelled their performances in mainland China in recent months.