Chinese Visitors to Japan Plummet 45% in December Amid Diplomatic Tensions
Travel
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CNBC TV18•20-01-2026, 11:15
Chinese Visitors to Japan Plummet 45% in December Amid Diplomatic Tensions
- •Chinese visitor numbers to Japan dropped by 45% in December, totaling approximately 330,000 people, following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan.
- •The decline is attributed to escalating tensions after Takaichi's November assertion that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could justify Japan's troop deployment, leading China to issue travel warnings and flight cancellations.
- •Chinese travelers are Japan's largest spenders, contributing a fifth of the nation’s ¥8.1 trillion tourism revenue in 2024, and their absence significantly impacted duty-free sales.
- •Despite the slump in Chinese tourists, overall foreign visitors to Japan reached a record 40 million in 2025, with other regions compensating for the shortfall.
- •Beijing's continued travel advisory and flight cuts through March 2026 suggest a potential prolonged downturn in Chinese tourism to Japan.
Why It Matters: Diplomatic tensions over Taiwan led to a significant 45% drop in Chinese tourists to Japan in December.
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