Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would trigger a military response from Japan. This remark effectively halted Chinese tourism to Japan, despite no formal ban being announced. Chinese travel agencies and airlines subsequently suspended trips to Japan in response to the perceived policy shift. In the days that followed, Tokyo attempted to clarify the remarks to ease tensions, while Chinese media highlighted the incident as a major diplomatic flare-up.
“a Chinese attack on Taiwan would provoke a military response from Japan.”
The situation is complex: Chinese tourists have paused travel to Japan, yet travel to Taiwan continued with numerous flights operating. Meanwhile, Japan was experiencing a substantial inflow of tourists, which somewhat mitigated the impact of any withdrawal of Chinese travelers. In 2024, Chinese tourists accounted for about 21% of all visitors to Japan.
Author's summary: The episode underscores how political rhetoric on Taiwan can swiftly influence international travel patterns, with Chinese tourism to Japan dropping while demand and arrivals from other sources remained strong, illustrating the interconnectedness of diplomacy and tourism. (120–200 characters)