Beijing’s response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks about Taiwan have escalated tensions between China and Japan, with Chinese authorities advising citizens against traveling to Japan. The impact on tourism has been swift and significant, with travel platform data revealing a dramatic reshuffling of popular outbound destinations.
Following the government’s advisory, major Chinese travel companies report that tourists have begun canceling and modifying their Japan travel plans over the past two days. Travel agencies are actively coordinating with hotels to arrange penalty-free cancellations. A representative from a major travel enterprise indicated that all promotional content related to Japan tourism has been removed from their platforms, and they anticipate declining prices for flights and hotels to Japan in the coming period.
Japan has traditionally been the top choice for Chinese outbound travelers. However, industry insiders now estimate that Japan will drop out of the top ten popular destinations during the upcoming New Year and Lunar New Year holiday periods. One consumer interviewed explained that after preparing for a year-end Japan trip—including visa applications, flight bookings, and hotel selections—they canceled everything and switched to Southeast Asian destinations including Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Data from Chinese travel platform Qunar shows that South Korea has surged to become the most popular outbound destination based on international flight bookings between November 15-16, with Seoul being the most searched city. Flight bookings to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia have also increased substantially.
According to Japan National Tourism Organization statistics, Chinese visitors to Japan totaled 6.98 million in 2024, representing a 187.9 percent increase, and accounted for approximately 20-25 percent of all visitors. Japanese industry observers believe the sharp decline in Chinese tourists will significantly impact Japan’s tourism, retail, and consumer sectors.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 18, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511180197.aspx