A diplomatic fallout over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments on domestic affairs in the Chinese mainland has triggered a wave of travel cancellations, shaking up Japan’s tourism outlook.
This week, Nikkei Asia sounded the alarm over a sharp uptick in cancellations of December flights from the Chinese mainland to Japan. As of November 27, 904 of the 5,548 flights scheduled for December have been scrapped, accounting for 16 percent of total routes.
The wave of cancellations follows a travel warning issued by the Chinese government, advising citizens to exercise caution when traveling to Japan amid escalating diplomatic tensions.
In related news, Adora Cruises, a major cruise operator based in the Chinese mainland, announced on Friday that it will reroute two ships—the Adora Magic and Adora Medditeranea—away from Japan-bound journeys in the first quarter of 2026, focusing instead on the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asia.
Tourists from the Chinese mainland have historically driven a significant share of Japan’s tourism revenue, especially during the year-end holidays and Spring Festival. In 2024, the average spending of inbound visitors to Japan rose 6.8 percent year-on-year to 227,242 yen ($1,456.4), with visitors from the Chinese mainland contributing about 20 percent, the highest per-capita spenders, according to Xinhua.
The shift in travel patterns threatens to deal a heavy blow to airlines, hotels, local souvenir shops, and scenic spots across Japan, as the sector braces for a slowdown in one of its most lucrative markets.
Reference(s):
Takaichi's China remarks continue to have disastrous effect: Nikkei
cgtn.com
