Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it is canceling or changing its sponsored events until March 15 due to concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The affected events include those for
Tekken 7, The IDOLM@STER, Sword Art Online, Tales of Vesperia, and
Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2. The staff of the
Love Live! franchise separately announced that they are canceling the "Aqours Back In First Love Live! ~Step! ZERO to ONE~" concerts on March 1 and the "
LOVE LIVE! SUNSHINE!! UNIT LIVE ADVENTURE 2020 AZALEA First LOVE LIVE! ~Amazing Travel DNA~" concerts on March 7 and 8.
The organizers of the "
Perfume 8th Tour 2020 'P Cubed' in Dome" concerts announced on Wednesday that they have canceled the
Tokyo Dome concert that would have happened on the same day, due to COVID-19. The "
EXILE PERFECT LIVE 2001→2020" organizers also announced that they canceled Wednesday's concert at Osaka's Kyocera Dome for the same reason. Voice actress
Yukari Tamura's "Birthday Event 2020" already
planned to forbid attendees from doing call-and-response (audience responses during specific sections of a song) during Tamura's performance on Thursday, but the organizers have since announced that they canceled the event outright.
Concerns over the virus have led to the cancellation or postponement of numerous events in Japan, as well as Japanese companies announcing their absence in overseas events, conventions, and trade shows. Osaka's Nippombashi Street Festa
cosplay event
will not be held on March 15 due to similar concerns.
Sony Interactive Entertainment,
Bushiroad,
Square Enix, and other companies have announced their absences from different events abroad. Bushiroad previously
announced last week that it has canceled its AnimeJapan 2020 attendance.