China urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan last week, as tensions between the two countries have risen over escalating tensions regarding Taiwan.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made comments on Nov. 7 on the country’s potential response to possible Chinese action in and around Taiwan, noting that it may warrant a military response from Japan.
These comments were followed by a travel warning from the Chinese government to its citizens, urging its people to refrain from flying to the neighboring country.
According to a Kyodo News report, several travel agencies in China have stopped sales of Japan-bound trips and are allowing changes and refunds with no penalty.
China accounts for approximately a quarter of foreign arrivals in Japan, and spends the most, fueled by Japan’s weak currency. The neighboring island country is one of the most popular foreign destinations for Chinese travelers, along with South Korea and Thailand.
The share of Chinese travelers has increased dramatically over the last 2 years, as China’s post-pandemic travel surge took some time to develop compared to other countries. The figure of 7.5 million Chinese arrivals into Japan so far this year is a 47% increase year over year. However, the growing rift between the two nations now challenges this trend.
Chinese airlines have counted over 491,000 cancelled tickets to Japan since Saturday, while offering free changes and refunds. However, Japanese carriers are not offering the same flexibility at this time.
Large-scale cancellations of trips could hit Japan’s tourism sector as a negative for the first time since the pandemic, which may become evident in about a month’s time as travelers determine their risks and decisions. The number of foreign travelers to Japan has increased steadily every month since the pandemic, and the first decrease in numbers could weigh on the country’s airline and hospitality sectors.
Featured image by the author.
