Visa Applications Limited to 60% for Travel Agencies
Wave of Cancellations for Flights and Accommodation to Japan
Chinese authorities have reportedly instructed domestic travel agencies to reduce the number of visa applications for travel to Japan to about 60% of the previous level. This measure, which was initially set to be temporary until the end of the year, has now been extended until March next year and is expected to have a significant impact on Japan's tourism industry.
On December 25, Kyodo News, citing sources in the Chinese travel industry, reported that the Chinese government had informed major travel agencies in late November to scale back visa applications for Japan. Originally, this measure was to be implemented only until December 2024, but earlier this month, additional instructions were given to maintain the same policy through March next year.
This move comes amid heightened tensions between China and Japan, following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting that a Taiwan contingency could pose an existential crisis for Japan. On November 14, China advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, citing public safety concerns, and subsequently issued guidance to the travel industry to reduce visa applications.
Chinese nationals are required to obtain visas to enter Japan, and a significant number of individual travelers, as well as group tourists, apply for visas through travel agencies. Industry observers believe that this policy is intended not only to restrict group tours but also to broadly suppress demand from individual travelers, who make up a large portion of visitors to Japan.
Flight Reductions and Booking Cancellations... Plummeting Demand for Japan Travel
Flight routes are also being reduced. According to a Chinese airline management platform, the number of canceled flights from mainland China to Japan in January next year has exceeded 2,000, with some major routes between China and Japan effectively suspended during certain periods. Major Chinese airlines have also introduced special measures allowing refunds and itinerary changes for China-Japan route tickets.
As a result, it is estimated that travel plans for at least several hundred thousand people will be disrupted. In major Japanese tourist destinations with a high proportion of Chinese visitors, such as Osaka and Kyoto, there has been a wave of booking cancellations in the accommodation and restaurant sectors, raising concerns about declining sales.
Japan has been one of the most popular tourist destinations for Chinese travelers in recent years. However, after the Chinese government's advisory against travel to Japan, Chinese media have reported that Japan has dropped out of the top ranks of popular overseas destinations on major Chinese travel platforms.
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