Overview
- China’s foreign ministry asked nationals to refrain from visiting Japan during the Feb. 15–23 Spring Festival break, citing risks to Chinese citizens.
- Officials claimed a rise in crimes targeting Chinese nationals in Japan and pointed to recent earthquakes as reasons for the caution.
- Chinese airlines said they will offer free changes or cancellations on Japan routes through Oct. 24, extending a previous Mar. 28 cutoff.
- This is the third such advisory after similar notices in November and December, following Beijing’s objection to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan-related comments.
- Japanese media report the move is seen as pressure that could curb peak-season Chinese tourism and weigh on hospitality and retail sectors.