A fast-rising public petition in Japan has placed K-pop group Aespa at the centre of what some are calling heightened political tension, as thousands call for the group's removal from a major New Year's Eve broadcast due to the nationality of one of its members.
A petition was posted on 18 November 2025 on Change.org demanding that Aespa be barred from appearing on NHK's 'Kohaku Uta Gassen'. The annual broadcast is considered one of Japan's most prominent year-end programmes, drawing large national audiences. The petition specifically targets Ningning, who is Chinese, and has previously faced criticism in Japan.
