A year has passed since the Chinese government called on its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan. Air services between Japan and China have declined substantially and visitor numbers remain low, although some say Japan remains a popular travel destination.
A year has passed since the Chinese government called on its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, and a substantial decline in air services between Japan and China has been reported. While tourism demand remains weak, there are also reports that Japan remains a popular travel destination.
As part of the moves by both countries, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, while state-owned airlines proceeded with flight reductions, particularly on Japan-China routes. Data from the Japan National Tourism Organization show that the number of visitors to Japan from China during January-September this year declined by more than 50% year on year.
Some say that Japan remains popular as a travel destination. China's major travel companies have suspended group tours to Japan since last November, but small and midsize travel agencies in major coastal cities have continued or resumed handling such tours. Meanwhile, China has indicated a policy of extending its visa waiver for Japanese nationals on short-term stays through the end of 2026, although no formal announcement has yet been made.
Businesspeople in China are closely watching the decline in visits by Japanese nationals and are concerned that an extension of the visa waiver could also affect business travel by Chinese companies.