Simon Pegg as Benji in “Mission: Impossible” apologizes for canceling his visit to Japan due to the strike.

Last Updated on 07/15/2023 by てんしょく飯

Tom Cruise and others scheduled to visit Japan to promote their new film “Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One” were canceled due to a strike by SAG-AFTRA, an actor’s union in Hollywood. Simon Pegg, who plays Benji, apologized to Japanese fans.

Promotional visit to Japan by the actors of “Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One” has been canceled.

SAG-AFTRA, an actor’s union of 160,000 American actors, announcers, actors, voice actors, and online influencers, began a strike on July 14. It announced that it will not conduct any activities related to film, television, and radio production, including filming and promotion.

Since June, SAG-AFTRA had been negotiating with AMPTP, an organization that includes Netflix, Paramount, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery, to increase the minimum wage rate and regulate AI in order to renew their contract. The SAG-AFTRA strike is a response to this.

As a result, it was announced that the planned Japan tour for the movie “Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One” has been canceled. This promotional visit to Japan was to have been Tom Cruise’s 25th visit to Japan.

Towa Pictures, the film’s distributor in Japan, made the following announcement

Due to the decision by the Screen Actors Guild of America (SAG-AFTRA) to go on strike beginning at midnight (Pacific Daylight Time) on July 14, union members will not be able to conduct filming or promotional activities. As a result, the Japan tour has been canceled.

The following changes will be made to the event

∙ The red carpet event scheduled for July 17 (Mon.), the stage greeting for the Japan Premiere screening with stage greeting, and the press conference scheduled for July 18 (Tue.) will be canceled.

The Japan Premiere preview and the Japan Premiere nationwide IMAX screening will be held as scheduled.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Simon Pegg apologizes to Japanese fans.

And although it was not announced in advance, Simon Pegg as Benji was also scheduled to visit Japan. In a video posted on Instagram Stories upon the decision to strike, Simon acknowledged that his visit to Japan was canceled and apologized to his Japanese fans.

Simon’s comments are as follows.

The SAG strike starts tonight. This means that the promotional operation of “Mission: Impossible” ends here. This includes posting on social media. We will not be going to Japan either. Our apologies to all of our Japanese fans who have been waiting for us to go. If you are an actor in the middle of something that is forcing you to go on strike, I know you are angry about the situation, but please remember where you should direct your indignation. It should not be directed at SAG, which is doing its best to protect us. This was not an easy decision. It was a last resort. Please direct this indignation at those who refuse to assure us in a fair and just manner of our future survival in this industry…SAG, be strong. Let us unite and make things better for all of us. Love you.”

In Hollywood, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on its first major strike in about 15 years since May, demanding higher rerun fees and AI regulations, making it the first time in nearly 60 years that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA will strike at the same time, a historic situation.