Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki was forced to cancel a concert in Shanghai a day before showtime, reportedly due to rising political tensions between China and Japan.

News of the cancellation was first announced by organisers, citing "force majeure” as the reason.

But the 47-year-old Queen of J-pop, who is currently on her Asian tour, didn’t walk away.

On Saturday (Nov 29), she went ahead and performed to an empty arena without a single fan in the 14,000 seats.

The full show was also professionally recorded, with plans for it to be released in the future.

After the concert, Hamasaki thanked her 200-member crew, calling it one of her most unforgettable performances of her career.

The Seasons singer first shared on social media that her team received a request to call off the performance and wrote: “I have no intention of commenting on matters I have no knowledge of.”

She later expressed disbelief and disappointment. “I still cannot believe it. I don’t even know how to express my feelings.”

Her decision to still perform was widely praised online, with many highlighting her professionalism and dedication.

A post on X by @Cait_Sith stated she “performed a full-stage concert in an empty venue” to record it for fans, calling her a professional, while also criticising the environment that led to the cancellation. The post has since amassed over 10 million views and more than 100,000 likes.

Ayumi Hamasaki isn’t the only Japanese act to be affected.

A Japanese anime event in Shanghai was cancelled after singer Maki Otsuki, who sang the theme song for the One Piece anime, was interrupted during the event.

This story was originally published in 8Days.

For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/

Samsung Electronics unveiled on Tuesday (Dec 2) its first multi-folding smartphone, in a bid to strengthen its position in a sector of the phone market where competition is expected to intensify.

The launch of the Galaxy Z TriFold marks Samsung's bid to reinforce its footing in a segment where Chinese rivals have been gaining ground, even as analysts say the high price and production challenges mean foldable devices are likely to remain a niche category for now.

The model unfolds into a 10-inch (253.1-millimetre) display using three panels and is nearly 25 per cent larger than Samsung's latest foldable Galaxy Z Fold 7 model.

The TriFold will go on sale in South Korea on Dec 12 and will be rolled out in China and the United Arab Emirates within this year. The phone will be available in Singapore from Dec 19. More information will be available on samsung.com/sg from Dec 3. 

In South Korea, the phone will be priced at 3,594,000 won (US$2,448). Its retail price in Singapore will be announced at a later date.

“Consumers in Singapore are always on the lookout for the next big thing, and we are excited to be one of the few markets to usher in a new era of mobile possibilities with the Galaxy Z TriFold. It builds on Samsung’s leadership in the foldables sector to deliver a premium experience that will help users expand their canvas for work, creativity and play,” said Ronnie Ng, vice president, head of Mobile eXperience, at Samsung Electronics Singapore. 

“We are confident that the Galaxy Z TriFold will unfold a new chapter in smartphone innovation, and we will continue to excite Galaxy fans with our cutting-edge innovation.”

The device features Samsung's largest battery in its flagship models and supports super-fast charging that powers the phone to 50 per cent in 30 minutes.

COMPETITION FROM HUAWEI, APPLE

Analysts said the TriFold is more likely to be a showcase of the new technology rather than a volume-driving flagship.

"The trifold is a first-generation product and it's the first time a trifold design is being commercialised, so it’s hard to see Samsung pushing large volumes at this stage," said Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities.

He noted that while Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line has matured over seven generations with lower cost structures, "the trifold could still face issues around completeness or durability", making it important to assess how the market responds first.

Competition in the foldable smartphone market is set to heat up, with China's Huawei launching the industry's first three-way folding phone last September and Apple expected to release its first foldable next year. Still, analysts say high prices and limits to mass production are likely to hold back the sector.

Foldable phones are expected to account for less than 2 per cent of the total smartphone market this year and will make up under 3 per cent by 2027, according to Counterpoint Research.

Samsung's shipment share of the foldable market jumped to 64 per cent in the third quarter, up from 9 per cent in the previous quarter, Counterpoint said, illustrating how market share can whipsaw depending on the timing of product launches.

The firm forecasts the foldable smartphone market will grow 14 per cent this year, followed by annual growth in the 30 per cent range in 2026 and 2027 as Apple looks set to enter the segment.