China has urged domestic travel agencies to reduce the number of tourists traveling to Japan by 40%, industry sources said, following recent remarks by a Japanese official regarding Taiwan.
Japan Travel Restrictions
Major travel agencies in China were instructed in late November to decrease Japan visa applications by 40% after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on November 7th. Takaichi suggested that an attack on Taiwan could pose a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, potentially involving its defense forces.
The Chinese government previously advised its citizens to reconsider visiting Japan, stating that Takaichi’s remarks had negatively impacted the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges and raised safety concerns for Chinese nationals in Japan.
Chinese nationals require visas to visit Japan, and these are obtained through designated travel agencies within China.
Reports from Chinese media indicate that over 1,900 Japan-bound flights, representing more than 40% of the total, were cancelled in December. An additional 2,195 flights are scheduled to be cancelled in January, also approximately 40% of the total.
Japan has historically been a popular destination for Chinese travelers. However, it was not listed among the top 10 overseas destinations during the winter holidays in January and February 2026, according to local media.
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