After Chinese nationalists vandalized the Yasukuni Shrine in Japan, the Chinese tourism industry recently erupted with news that there would be a “tightening” of visas for Japan. This may potentially impact Chinese people intending to travel, study, or work in Japan in the future. Mainland China’s public opinion has condemned the actions of the internet celebrity as “one rat ruining the whole pot of soup.”
According to online sources, on June 13, the Consulate General of Japan in Guangzhou issued a notice to major travel agencies, revoking the visa submission rights for 11 well-known travel agencies in the Guangzhou jurisdiction (Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan).
Chinese media outlet “Global Travel News” after multiple confirmations, verified the authenticity of the above information.
Han Zhisu, CEO of the Chinese electronic signing website “Shangshangqian,” revealed that although there have been no changes in the visa policy for traveling from China to Japan, many agencies with the authorization to submit visas have “halted a large batch.”
According to online rumors, the visa policy for traveling from the Guangzhou jurisdiction to Japan has also seen adjustments in the operational process, particularly in the cancellation of the “simplification of processing conditions.”
Sources claim that this adjustment may be related to certain members of travel groups to Japan disobeying rules.
Reportedly, from a historical perspective, this event is considered a nightmare for all service-providing travel agencies.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa expressed concerns regarding a Chinese man suspected of graffitiing on a pillar at the Yasukuni Shrine on June 4, stating that diplomatic channels have been used to convey these concerns to the Chinese (CCP) government.
Just two weeks ago on June 1, a pillar at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo was found defaced with the English word “Toilet” in red spray paint at the entrance. After receiving a report from the public, the police launched an investigation into suspected property damage.
According to sources quoting investigators, a Chinese man is suspected of vandalizing the pillar at the Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, around 10 pm on May 31, damaging property, before leaving the country on June 1.
Furthermore, near the Komainu statue (similar to stone lions), two papers were found with writings in Chinese such as “people of the world unite” and “not including you.”
Japanese authorities stated that based on surveillance footage from nearby cameras, at least two individuals were involved in the incident, with one being the Chinese internet celebrity “Tie Tou,” who flew back to Shanghai, China on June 2, the day after the offense. The investigation into this case is currently ongoing.
During the press conference held by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 3, in response to questions about the incident involving the Chinese internet celebrity vandalizing the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that the Yasukuni Shrine symbolizes Japan’s military imperialism and aggression in wartime. The Japanese side should face and reflect on its invasion history.
Following the statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, despite multiple live broadcasts, “Tie Tou” did not express remorse for the incident at the Yasukuni Shrine and even believed that the damage caused was not significant enough, stating, “It would have been better if irreversible damage was done to the inscription on the stone monument.”
However, Chinese public opinion heavily criticized the internet celebrity, labeling him as “one rat ruining the whole pot of soup.”
Host Li Muyang on “News Perspective” predicted on a program on June 2 that regarding the situation where Chinese nationalists provoke in Japan, stirring up hatred, the Japanese government may tighten visa issuance to Chinese individuals. If related policy changes were implemented, Chinese people planning to study and work in Japan may be affected by the actions of individuals like “Tie Tou” and “You Tou Si Liu Fen.”
The overseas graffiti behavior of Chinese nationalists is related to long-term propaganda from the Chinese Communist Party. Li Muyang also mentioned in the program, the reasons why the Chinese Communist Party strongly dislikes the Yasukuni Shrine in Japan and incites the Chinese people to hate it are because the shrine exposes reasons that the CCP dare not reveal. The Yasukuni Shrine meticulously records the number of deaths caused by invading Japanese forces, with 318,883 deaths at the hands of the Nationalist government forces, 126,607 deaths at the hands of Soviet troops, and only 851 deaths at the hands of CCP forces. The CCP has always glorified itself as the “mainstay” of the resistance against Japan, but this record from the Imperial Japanese Army exposes the CCP’s lies.