China's commercial performance art sector experienced a significant upswing in the third quarter of 2024, with the number of revenue-generating performance events up by over 16 percent year on year. According to data from the China Association of Performing Arts, the number of commercial performances (excluding those in entertainment venues) reached 173,300 in the July-September period, marking a year-on-year increase of 16.27 percent. Ticket sales soared to 20.81 billion yuan (approximately 2.94 billion U.S. dollars), reflecting a remarkable 41.1 percent rise compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the total audience reached 57.36 million, a growth of 17.51 percent.
During the National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7, the performance sector continued to thrive. There were 44,300 commercial performances, a 14.57 percent increase year on year. Ticket revenues during this period amounted to 2.21 billion yuan (about 312 million U.S. dollars), up 25.88 percent, while the audience count reached nearly 11.7 million, representing a 13.28 percent increase.
China's commercial performance art sector shows strong growth in Q3
A group of Japanese peace activists gathered outside the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday to protest the government's push for constitutional revision and the lifting of a ban on lethal weapons exports.
The Japanese government officially revised the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" and related implementation guidelines on April 21, allowing overseas sales of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities.
Kyodo News, a Japanese news agency, said the changes mark a significant shift in the country's defense policy, noting that it has long touted itself as a "peace-loving nation" under its war-renouncing Constitution since its defeat in World War II.
The protesters accused the Takaichi administration of lifting the export ban without sufficient debate or deliberation in the National Diet.
"Without full discussions in the National Diet, the government just arbitrarily decided on arms exports and made various excuses for it. Also, regarding the incident of intrusion into the Chinese embassy, the government has not issued an apology. Japan should be on friendly terms with neighboring countries, yet it engages in actions that incite confrontation. [Constitutional revision] is truly disturbing. Especially nowadays, the Liberal Democratic Party and Prime Minister Takaichi are pushing for arms exports in order to build a nation capable of waging war. This is absolutely unacceptable," one female protester said.
"As a matter of fact, it [lifting the ban on lethal weapons exports] was arbitrarily decided by the cabinet without any consideration of people's opinions. Revising the pacifist constitution will undoubtedly harm Japan's national interests. I sincerely hope that the Takaichi administration will stop this practice," a male protester said.
"Article 9 of Japan's constitution has gradually, to some extent, been distorted by various faits accomplis. While Japan is nominally a 'peaceful country,' this is not the case in reality," another female protester said.
Protesters rally in Tokyo against arms exports, constitutional revision
