(Tokyo, 26th) Japanese media reported that Chinese authorities have required domestic travel agencies to reduce the number of tour group travelers to Japan to 60%. The report stated that this measure was originally expected to be implemented until December, but was later asked to be extended until March next year.
On Thursday (December 25), Nippon TV quoted multiple sources as saying that China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism recently summoned the heads of several major domestic travel agencies and issued an oral directive requiring them to reduce the number of group tours to Japan to about 60% of previous levels.
According to reports, the directive from Beijing temporarily only targets group tours, and individual travelers are not affected.
Sources say that Chinese authorities, when summoning heads of major domestic travel agencies, clearly required a gradual reduction in the volume of group tours to Japan and instructed the industry not to publicize this externally. As a result, many Chinese travel agencies have reportedly already suspended the acceptance and handling of reservations for tour groups to Japan.
Sources say that Chinese authorities, when summoning heads of major domestic travel agencies, clearly required a gradual reduction in the volume of group tours to Japan and instructed the industry not to publicize this externally. As a result, many Chinese travel agencies have reportedly already suspended the acceptance and handling of reservations for tour groups to Japan.
Market analysts believe this move is clearly an economic countermeasure in response to recent comments from the Japanese political sector regarding Taiwan.
The report quoted anonymous officials as saying that Beijing expressed strong dissatisfaction over remarks involving Taiwan made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Parliament on November 7. Beijing had previously called on its citizens to voluntarily reduce visits to Japan, but this time it issued a direct and specific percentage restriction, signaling a significant escalation in pressure.
On Thursday, Kyodo News quoted insiders in China’s tourism industry as saying that Chinese authorities instructed major domestic travel agencies in the second half of November to reduce the number of group tours to Japan to 60% of previous levels, citing deteriorating public safety in Japan. This measure was originally expected to last until December, but agencies were later told to extend the measure until March next year.
Sanae Takaichi’s "Taiwan contingency" remarks heightened tensions in China-Japan relations, and on November 14, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan in the near future. Since then, many travel agencies in Beijing and Shanghai have received requests to cancel group travel to Japan.
According to Kyodo News, as of November 16, many large Chinese travel agencies had suspended the sale of travel packages to Japan. AFP reported on November 18, citing independent aviation analytics data, that ticket bookings from China to Japan plummeted from about 1.5 million on November 15 to 1 million two days later, with an estimated 500,000 trips canceled. Bloomberg reported that due to Chinese tourists canceling trips to Japan, Japan could lose up to 1.2 billion US dollars (4.9 billion ringgit) in tourist spending by the end of this year.
The report quoted anonymous officials as saying that Beijing expressed strong dissatisfaction over remarks involving Taiwan made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Parliament on November 7. Beijing had previously called on its citizens to voluntarily reduce visits to Japan, but this time it issued a direct and specific percentage restriction, signaling a significant escalation in pressure.
On Thursday, Kyodo News quoted insiders in China’s tourism industry as saying that Chinese authorities instructed major domestic travel agencies in the second half of November to reduce the number of group tours to Japan to 60% of previous levels, citing deteriorating public safety in Japan. This measure was originally expected to last until December, but agencies were later told to extend the measure until March next year.
Sanae Takaichi’s "Taiwan contingency" remarks heightened tensions in China-Japan relations, and on November 14, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan in the near future. Since then, many travel agencies in Beijing and Shanghai have received requests to cancel group travel to Japan.
According to Kyodo News, as of November 16, many large Chinese travel agencies had suspended the sale of travel packages to Japan. AFP reported on November 18, citing independent aviation analytics data, that ticket bookings from China to Japan plummeted from about 1.5 million on November 15 to 1 million two days later, with an estimated 500,000 trips canceled. Bloomberg reported that due to Chinese tourists canceling trips to Japan, Japan could lose up to 1.2 billion US dollars (4.9 billion ringgit) in tourist spending by the end of this year.