China extends its boycott of travel to Japan as its three major airlines announce an extension of the free refund and change period for tickets involving Japan routes, moving the original deadline from December 31 to March 28, 2026. Civil aviation media analysis suggests that this will lead to another wave of large-scale ticket cancellations for travelers originally planning to visit Japan in the first quarter of next year.
According to a report from Central News Agency, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines issued adjusted notices on Japan route tickets again on the 5th, stating that the move is in line with travel advisories from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and aims to help affected travelers better arrange their travel.
The announcement states that for tickets purchased or exchanged before 12:00 noon on December 5, 2025 (inclusive), and for unused tickets with travel dates involving flights to or from Japanese airports (including stopover or codeshare flights) between November 15, 2025, and March 28, 2026, travelers can refund or change their bookings for free.
This also means China's boycott of travel to Japan has been extended from December 31 of this year to March 28 of next year.
Previously, in response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks about 'Taiwan contingency,' the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a notice late at night on November 14, 'solemnly reminding citizens to avoid traveling to Japan in the near future'; the three major airlines immediately announced the next day that Japan-bound tickets from then until the end of the year could be refunded or changed for free.
According to statistics from the Japan National Tourism Organization, in the first quarter of this year, over 10.54 million foreign tourists visited Japan, among whom Chinese tourists numbered 2.36 million.