In a report dated November 23, 2025, Chinese tourists have been a major driving force for tourism and retail industries in Japan. Despite escalating tensions between China and Japan, the Chinese government has advised its citizens against traveling to Japan for sightseeing. However, Japanese businesses have responded by stating that they are not worried about the situation.
The recent statement by Japanese Prime Minister Takanashi Sanae in parliament, suggesting that a crisis in Taiwan could pose an existential threat to Japan, has angered the Chinese Communist Party. As a result, the Chinese government has issued a warning to Chinese tourists to avoid visiting Japan in the near future. The deteriorating relations between China and Japan have raised concerns, particularly for high-end boutiques, noodle shops, and hotels in Japan that rely on tourist spending, which may face a negative impact.
Despite the travel advisory issued by Beijing, most businesses in Tokyo do not seem to be concerned. Shiina Ito, the owner of a jewelry store in Tokyo, mentioned that while there has been a decrease in Chinese customers, she is not worried. “With fewer Chinese customers, it actually makes it easier for Japanese customers to come and shop, so our sales have not truly decreased,” said Ito. Her store is located in the bustling traditional shopping district of Asakusa in Tokyo, where Chinese buyers typically make up about half of the customer base.
In the upscale district of Ginza in Tokyo, Yuki Yamamoto, the manager of a popular udon noodle shop, indicated to a news agency that he has not noticed any direct impact on sales since the Chinese government warning against travel to Japan. Yamamoto estimated that under normal circumstances, about half of the customers lining up outside his shop are Chinese. However, he mentioned, “I don’t see any sudden, dramatic changes.”
While the impact on group tours is significant according to Wu Weiguo, a manager at a travel agency in Shanghai, where 90% of his clients have requested to cancel their trips, there are indications that the demand for Chinese tourists traveling to Japan remains strong. Xiao Ting, a staff member at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, reported on November 19 that there is a continuous demand for flights to Japan. She stated that despite a high number of cancellations in bookings, flights from Shanghai to Japan have not been canceled and are operating according to the planned schedules.
Many netizens have shared photos from the cabins of flights to Japan on social media platforms, showing fully occupied seats. One netizen expressed surprise, saying, “I thought I would be the only one heading to Japan. Upon boarding, I saw that the entire plane was filled with no vacant seats.”
Wu Weiguo, the travel agency manager, also believes that this dispute will not deter Chinese travelers from aspiring to visit Tokyo. He told a news agency, “They believe that Japan offers high-quality service and reasonable shopping prices… Chinese people still want to go to Japan.”
In conclusion, despite the ongoing tensions between China and Japan, the impact on tourism and businesses in Japan remains a topic of interest and concern for both countries. The resilience and adaptability of businesses in Tokyo, along with the continued interest of Chinese tourists in visiting Japan, suggest that the effects of the political tensions may be mitigated to some extent in the tourism sector.
(Contributions to this article were made by Xingdu from Epoch Times)