In comparison to December 2024, the volume of Chinese nationals who entered Japan last month dropped 45% to around 330,000, as reported by Tourism Minister Yasushi Kaneko.
This decline occurs amidst rising tensions between Japan and China after Takaichi’s assertion in November that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could serve as a legal basis for Japan to mobilize its troops. In response, China cautioned its citizens against traveling to Japan, leading to numerous flight cancellations.
“We will continue to closely observe the situation concerning the travel advisory issued by Chinese authorities,” Kaneko stated during a news conference on Tuesday. “We must strive to ensure that those Chinese citizens wishing to visit Japan can do so as soon as possible, and we look forward to that day arriving swiftly,” he added.
The number of visitors from China had been increasing at a rate of 40.7% in the first ten months of the year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Chinese tourists are Japan’s largest spenders, contributing to a fifth of the nation’s ¥8.1 trillion ($52.4 billion) tourism revenue in 2024. Their influence on the retail sector is evident, with duty-free sales in Japan’s department stores significantly declining in December.
Despite the reduction in Chinese visitors, the total number of foreign travelers to Japan exceeded 40 million for the first time in 2025, according to Kaneko, thanks to an influx of tourists from other regions compensating for the decrease in visitors from China. Overall spending also reached a record of approximately ¥9.5 trillion yen ($60 billion).
The number of Chinese tourists for 2025 rose about 30% year-on-year, despite a downturn from November onward. Nevertheless, Beijing’s advisory discouraging travel to Japan and its instructions for airlines to reduce flights until March 2026 heighten the prospects of a prolonged downturn.
Japan’s leading travel agency predicts that this year will witness the first decline in foreign tourism since the country reopened following the pandemic.
The friction between Tokyo and Beijing escalated after Takaichi indicated in parliament on November 7 that a crisis in Taiwan might constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. Such a characterization could allow Tokyo to deploy its military in conjunction with other nations.
Since then, China’s travel warnings have adversely affected the economy in western Japan, and according to the Japanese government, China’s military has targeted one or more Japanese fighter jets with fire-control radar in the East China Sea. Japanese companies are currently assessing the impact of trade controls announced earlier this month.
Takaichi has consistently maintained that Tokyo’s stance on Taiwan remains unchanged and aligns with a communique issued in 1972. In that joint statement, Japan affirmed its understanding and respect for Beijing’s perspective that Taiwan is an “inalienable” part of China’s territory, without explicitly endorsing that view. During a press conference last night, Takaichi reiterated Japan’s willingness to engage in discussions with Beijing officials.
