Tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan have triggered massive travel cancellations, with Chinese tourists reportedly cancelling around 500,000 flights to Japan in just three days. Chinese airlines, including the state carriers, offered free cancellations, while reports suggest some visa processing and cultural exchanges have also been suspended.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had said the country could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan, sparking fury in Beijing. The diplomatic spat has prompted Japan to send senior officials to China to ease tensions, even as Chinese state media and social networks fuel nationalistic sentiment.
The cancellations have hit Japanese tourism and retail sectors, and film releases have been postponed in China. Analysts describe this as the largest mass flight cancellation from China to Japan since the early Covid pandemic, though it likely won't drastically affect China's domestic travel industry.
Japanese authorities have warned their citizens in China to exercise caution amid rising anti-Japanese sentiment. Both governments appear to be seeking ways to prevent the dispute from escalating further, but Takaichi has refused to retract her comments on potential military involvement.