During Shen Yun Performing Arts’ 2026 tour of Japan, audiences in cities including Kyoto, Nishinomiya, and Tokyo filled theaters to experience the acclaimed performance that celebrates 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture through classical dance and music. The tour concluded on an overwhelmingly positive note, with enthusiastic audience responses and a peaceful atmosphere across multiple venues.
But according to a June 14 report by The Epoch Times, one of the more striking stories behind this year’s tour involved two right-wing activists who had previously participated in activities aimed at disrupting Shen Yun performances but later became supporters after attending a show themselves.
Founded in 2006, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, showcasing the beauty and splendor of traditional Chinese culture and art prior to the ravages of communism. The New York-based company currently boasts eight equally sized troupes that tour and perform across the world simultaneously, putting on a brand new production each year.
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From protesters to patrons
The two men, identified under the pseudonyms Tanaka and Fujita, spearheaded a Japanese right-wing organization. According to their account, they had accepted paid work involving publicity vehicles and demonstrations targeting Shen Yun performances.
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Tanaka later said that neither he nor Fujita knew much about Falun Gong or Shen Yun at the time. Their involvement was largely driven by financial considerations rather than strong views about the performance itself. Many of Shen Yun’s performers and staff are practitioners of Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline also known as Falun Dafa. The faith was immensely popular in China prior to being banned and subject to severe repression by the CCP starting in 1999. Because of the persecution, Shen Yun is not currently able to perform in mainland China.
But rather than responding with hostility, Shen Yun organizers in Japan chose a different approach. According to Zhang Chen, a representative of Shen Yun’s Japanese presenter, staff members regularly approached demonstrators to explain what Shen Yun is, discuss the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, and raise awareness while encouraging respectful dialogue.
“I also told them they should respect Japanese etiquette,” Zhang recalled. “Using loudspeakers this way disturbs local residents. If there are misunderstandings, they can be resolved through communication.”
After several conversations, Zhang said he came to believe that the two men were acting out of misunderstanding and misinformation rather than malice. Organizers eventually invited them to attend a performance themselves.
Witnessing Shen Yun firsthand
On April 8, Tanaka and Fujita attended a Shen Yun performance at Tokyo’s Shinjuku Cultural Center. According to organizers, both men expressed admiration for the show afterward. Fujita described the performance as “excellent” and said he was particularly moved by the message conveyed through one of the vocal performances.
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Tanaka said he especially enjoyed a dance depicting the legendary Daoist figure Zhang Guolao. He reportedly told organizers that the performance was engaging and that he had already been curious about Shen Yun before becoming involved in demonstrations against it. Organizers also said Fujita expressed regret over his previous participation in efforts to disrupt performances.
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) campaign to sabotage and smear Shen Yun go back as far as the company itself. Founded in 2006, the CCP’s fear of Shen Yun’s cultural power highlights the transformative influence of immersive art and music. The troupe’s portrayal of China’s rich civilization before communism also offers a starkly different narrative from the CCP’s tyrannical ideology, which strives to graft atheist Marxism onto the Chinese identity.
Refusing future requests
According to Zhang, not long after attending the performance, Tanaka informed him that he had received another request to participate in demonstrations targeting Shen Yun’s May performances in Tokyo. Several days later, however, Tanaka reportedly said he had declined the offer.
Tanaka later told organizers that after learning more about Falun Gong and Shen Yun, he no longer felt comfortable taking part in such efforts. Fujita also reportedly expressed regret over his previous involvement and said he had come to view the situation differently after seeing the performance.
Though the CCP has denied any role in such incidents, Shen Yun has for years reported facing threats, pressure, and disruption attempts linked to its mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture and offering a glimpse of “China before communism.” Unable to curb the company’s global reach domestically, hostile actors have increasingly turned to intimidation tactics to intimidate Shen Yun’s performers.
