Japanese prime minister’s refusal to back down over Taiwan comments brings more criticism and travel warnings from China
Chinese tourists are continuing to shun Japan in large numbers, with the country falling out of the top 10 destinations for those celebrating the lunar new year with a trip abroad.
Japan has had a dramatic drop in the number of Chinese visitors since the end of last year as a diplomatic row between Tokyo and Beijing over the security of Taiwan continues.
Chinese tourism to Japan, where a weak currency is helping fuel a tourism boom, almost halved in December compared with the same period in 2025, Japan’s transport ministry said.
The trend looks set to continue, months after Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested her country’s self-defence forces could be deployed if China attempted to invade Taiwan.
