Shen Yun Performing Arts held its final four performances of the season in Tokyo, Japan, from May 11–13. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te specially sent a congratulatory message, wishing the company great success in its Japan tour, writing:

“It is my hope that this grand event will help foster a spirit of inclusiveness among diverse communities, showcase the profound beauty of classical dance, broaden perspectives in artistic appreciation, and contribute to building a society enriched by truth, compassion, and beauty. I wish the event great success and all participants good health and happiness.”

Several Japanese lawmakers also attended the performance and were amazed by its beauty.

Rintaro Ishibashi, a member of the Japanese House of Representatives, said, “What left an especially deep impression on me was just how beautiful it all was. The most direct feeling I had from the performance was simply its beauty. Especially the water sleeves, the costumes, and the dance itself were absolutely mesmerizing and breathtaking. That, in particular, left a very strong impression on me.”

“Classical Chinese dance, a live orchestra, and the animated backdrop created a highly artistic, visually captivating performance,” said Hirofumi Ueno, a member of the Japanese House of Representatives.

Yoshitaka Torigoe, a former assembly member of the Hokkaido Prefecture, said, “I flew in from Hokkaido today to see the performance, and the trip was truly worthwhile.”

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture from before communism, through classical Chinese dance and music. Shen Yun also exposes the Chinese communist regime’s persecution of faith, and is one of the reasons they cannot perform in China.

“Originally, on Chinese soil, you should have been able to perform and rehearse there in mainland China, truly embracing it as your own art and as a source of pride for your people, enjoying it and taking part in it with a sense of pride, but that is not possible today. Under these circumstances, although it is outside China, you have continued passing down this tradition for twenty long years. That is truly remarkable. I imagine it has been extremely difficult,” Mr. Ishibashi said.

Isao Arai, a council member of Sapporo City, said, “[Trans-national repression] should never be tolerated. Although these matters rarely come to light, we must take them seriously and respond to them properly. Since ancient times, Japan has absorbed Chinese culture and gradually developed its own unique culture. However, we seem to have gradually forgotten these roots. Watching Shen Yun, I truly felt it was a rare opportunity to reflect on these things once again. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in the performance.”

“As Shen Yun marks its 20th anniversary, I hope you will continue bringing even more magnificent performances to audiences around the world in the years to come,” said Mr. Ishibashi.

Shen Yun has now concluded its 2026 world tour and will return with a brand new production next year.

NTD News, Tokyo, Japan

NTD is a media sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts, covering audience reactions since 2006.