Chinese tourists are increasingly avoiding Japan, contributing to the country’s fall from the top ten destinations for travelers celebrating the Lunar New Year. The decline in visitors comes as a diplomatic dispute between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan continues to escalate, impacting Japan’s tourism sector despite a favorable exchange rate.
The number of Chinese visitors to Japan nearly halved in December compared to the same period in 2025, according to Japan’s transport ministry. This trend is expected to persist following statements made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting potential self-defense force deployment should China attempt to invade Taiwan. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and maintains the option of reunification by force.
Takaichi’s remarks sparked strong condemnation from Beijing, with officials urging Chinese citizens to reconsider travel and study plans to Japan. China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, recently accused Takaichi of attempting to revive Japan’s militarist past during the Munich Security Conference, stating, “Japanese people should no longer allow themselves to be manipulated or deceived by those far-right forces, or by those who seek to revive militarism.” He warned that pursuing such a path would lead to “self-destruction.”
Japan formally protested Wang’s comments through diplomatic channels, with the foreign ministry in Tokyo dismissing the accusations as “factually incorrect and ungrounded.” A statement from the ministry asserted that Japan’s strengthening of its defense capabilities is a response to a “severe security environment” and is not targeted at any specific country. The statement also alluded to concerns about the rapid and opaque military expansion of other nations in the region.
The dispute has been further inflamed by Liu Xiaoming, China’s special representative on Korean peninsula affairs, who characterized Takaichi’s statements as evidence of Japan’s “unextinguished ambition to invade and colonise Taiwan once again, and the lingering ghost of revived militarism.” In a post on X, Liu referenced the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, warning Japan to learn from history and avoid repeating past “tragic mistakes.”
Even as Chinese officials have cautioned citizens about safety concerns in Japan, no incidents targeting Chinese tourists have been officially reported. However, the Chinese consulate general in Osaka reiterated a travel advisory on Sunday following a fatal stabbing in the city, despite the incident not involving Chinese nationals.
Despite the official warnings, some Chinese citizens still intend to visit Japan. One individual told the Kyodo news agency that maintaining goodwill between ordinary citizens is crucial. A woman from Shanghai stated her family’s travel plans remain unchanged, believing the travel alert is primarily intended to generate criticism of Japan, and that her family has not been influenced by the messaging.
South Korea is projected to become the most popular overseas destination for Chinese travelers during the 40-day Lunar New Year travel period, with an anticipated 250,000 visitors – a 1.5-fold increase from the previous year. Japan is expected to receive fewer Chinese tourists than other regional destinations, including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and Russia, with a projected 60% decline in visitors during the holiday period.
