China Warns Citizens Not to Visit Japan Over Taiwan Issue

China has warned its citizens against traveling to Japan in the near term, marking the first significant retaliatory move in an escalating row following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China uses force against Taiwan, Jesse Johnson reported for Japan Times.

Chinese tourists make up nearly a quarter of all foreign visitors to Japan, with roughly 7.5 million traveling there in the first nine months of this year.

“Recently, Japanese leaders have made blatantly provocative remarks regarding Taiwan, severely damaging the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan and posing significant risks to the personal safety and lives of Chinese citizens in Japan,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in a recent statement.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Japan, solemnly remind Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan in the near future,” the statement added.

Following the warning, three of China’s largest airlines—Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern—offered full refunds or flight changes for travel to Japan from Saturday through Dec. 31.

Chinese tourists make up nearly a quarter of all foreign visitors to Japan, with roughly 7.5 million traveling there in the first nine months of this year, according to Japan Tourism Agency statistics.