China reiterated a warning urging its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan during the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday, citing what it described as a deterioration in public security, as diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo continue to simmer.
The renewed advisory comes amid a broader political spat that flared late last year after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan. The remarks triggered a sharp backlash from Beijing, which accused Japan of interfering in China’s internal affairs and undermining regional stability.
In the wake of the comments, Chinese authorities moved to caution citizens against visiting Japan, a step that has had a tangible impact on tourism flows. According to Japanese data, the number of Chinese visitors to Japan plunged by 45 per cent in December from a year earlier, falling to about 330,000 arrivals.
On Monday, China’s foreign ministry reinforced its stance, issuing a statement through its Department of Consular Affairs ahead of the busy Lunar New Year travel period in February. “Recently, public security in Japan has deteriorated, with frequent incidents of illegal and criminal acts targeting Chinese citizens,” the department said.
“Chinese citizens in Japan face serious security threats,” it added, urging travellers to carefully assess risks and avoid non-essential trips to the country, particularly during the extended holiday period.
The ministry also cited natural disasters as a concern, noting that a series of earthquakes in parts of Japan had caused injuries and added to safety risks.
The warning marks a sharp contrast to recent years, when Chinese tourists formed one of the most important pillars of Japan’s tourism recovery. Before the latest downturn, Chinese visitors accounted for roughly a quarter of all foreign tourists to Japan. Official Japanese figures show that nearly 7.5 million people travelled from China in the first nine months of 2025 alone.
Drawn by a weak yen, Chinese tourists were also among the biggest spenders. In the third quarter, they spent the equivalent of about US$3.7 billion on shopping, accommodation and entertainment, providing a significant boost to Japan’s retail and hospitality sectors.
The nine-day Chinese New Year holiday is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods in China and is expected to drive a surge in both domestic and outbound trips. State news agency Xinhua reported that Chinese tourist numbers to Japan rose significantly during last year’s Lunar New Year period compared with the previous year, underscoring the economic impact of the latest travel warning.
