According to Japan’s Kyodo News, several Chinese travel agencies have quietly resumed recruiting customers for group tours to Japan, with packages being planned for the July–August summer holiday season. Industry sources said Japan remains one of the most popular outbound travel destinations for Chinese tourists, making it difficult for agencies to forgo the market despite political tensions.
Group tours to Japan had been largely suspended after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan during a parliamentary session in November 2025. Beijing subsequently discouraged travel to Japan and reportedly instructed major travel agencies to reduce visa applications and cut the number of Chinese visitors to roughly 60 percent of previous levels.
As of June 19, a subsidiary of China Tourism Group was accepting registrations for a seven-day, six-night Japan tour departing as early as August 1. However, after Japanese media reported that Chinese agencies were resuming Japan group tours, the company reportedly halted recruitment for the package, suggesting continued official sensitivity surrounding outbound travel to Japan.
Source: Kyodo News, June 19, 2026
https://china.kyodonews.net/articles/-/11918