China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 26 January issued a notice urging citizens to defer travel to Japan during the 15–23 February Lunar New Year holiday, citing a rise in crimes targeting Chinese nationals, recent earthquakes and broader security concerns. Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato told reporters the government will “closely monitor” the advisory’s impact on tourism and bilateral exchanges. (nippon.com)
Japan welcomed roughly 349 000 mainland Chinese visitors in December 2025—still far below pre-pandemic levels—and officials fear the warning could depress what is normally a peak-season influx. Travel-data firm Flight Manager already shows Chinese bookings shifting toward Seoul and Bangkok.
![Beijing Advises Citizens to Avoid Japan Over Lunar New Year, Tokyo Monitors Impact]()
From a corporate-mobility perspective, the advisory adds a layer of duty-of-care complexity. While it is not a legal prohibition, employees travelling to Japan may face insurance exclusions or require senior-level approval under many companies’ risk policies. Mobility managers should review emergency-response plans, ensure staff have local contact numbers and encourage registration with the Chinese embassy.
Tour operators in Japan are scrambling to diversify source markets; meanwhile, some hospitality groups are offering flexible rates to reassure Chinese clients. Should tensions persist, analysts warn of a broader cooling in people-to-people ties that could hinder future negotiations on reciprocal visa facilitation.
Tokyo, however, signalled it wants to keep channels open, highlighting cultural projects such as the repatriation of Ueno Zoo’s last panda pair to China as symbols of goodwill. Whether that soft power can overcome security perceptions before the 2026 cherry-blossom season remains to be seen.
Japan welcomed roughly 349 000 mainland Chinese visitors in December 2025—still far below pre-pandemic levels—and officials fear the warning could depress what is normally a peak-season influx. Travel-data firm Flight Manager already shows Chinese bookings shifting toward Seoul and Bangkok.
From a corporate-mobility perspective, the advisory adds a layer of duty-of-care complexity. While it is not a legal prohibition, employees travelling to Japan may face insurance exclusions or require senior-level approval under many companies’ risk policies. Mobility managers should review emergency-response plans, ensure staff have local contact numbers and encourage registration with the Chinese embassy.
Tour operators in Japan are scrambling to diversify source markets; meanwhile, some hospitality groups are offering flexible rates to reassure Chinese clients. Should tensions persist, analysts warn of a broader cooling in people-to-people ties that could hinder future negotiations on reciprocal visa facilitation.
Tokyo, however, signalled it wants to keep channels open, highlighting cultural projects such as the repatriation of Ueno Zoo’s last panda pair to China as symbols of goodwill. Whether that soft power can overcome security perceptions before the 2026 cherry-blossom season remains to be seen.
Source: Jiji Press via Nippon.com
