More than 490,000 air tickets from China to Japan have been cancelled in just a matter of days, as diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours intensify following a sharp political exchange over Taiwan.
Massive wave of cancellations
According to SCMP, mainland Chinese travellers have cancelled approximately 491,000 Japan-bound tickets since 15 November 2025.
The figure accounts for roughly 32% of all bookings during the period.
Cancellation rates surged dramatically, hitting 82% on Sunday and 75.6% on Monday compared with new bookings — one of the steepest drops seen in recent years.
The sudden collapse in demand came immediately after Beijing issued a heightened safety advisory, warning Chinese citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Japan due to what it described as “increasing risks” and several unresolved incidents involving Chinese nationals.
Flashpoint: Japan’s comments on Taiwan
The advisory was triggered after newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Japan “may intervene militarily” if China were to attack Taiwan — a comment that Beijing condemned as provocative.
In response, China urged its citizens to postpone travel, and major Chinese airlines began offering full refunds and penalty-free changes for Japan-bound flights booked through 31 December.
Economic impact on Japan
The cancellation wave is a blow to Japan’s tourism sector, which has long relied on Chinese visitors as one of its biggest spending groups.
For the first nine months of 2025, Japan welcomed 7.49 million visitors from mainland China. Tourism contributes about 7% of Japan’s GDP, and travellers from China and Hong Kong make up nearly 20% of total arrivals, CNA reports.
Analysts warn Japan could face losses of up to ¥2.2 trillion (RM69.5 billion) in tourism-related spending if the boycott stretches into 2026.
Airlines adjusting routes
Several airlines operating China–Japan routes are already reducing capacity or adjusting schedules, citing the drastic drop in demand.
Popular routes such as Shanghai–Tokyo and Beijing–Osaka have seen the steepest booking declines.
Growing strain between the nations
The flare-up has also spilled onto social media, where reactions from some Japanese users appeared dismissive, further fuelling online tension between the two countries.
Beijing says its embassies and consulates are monitoring the situation and urged travellers who still choose to visit Japan to remain vigilant and contact authorities in case of emergencies.
