China Warns Its Citizens Against Traveling to Japan for Lunar New Year Vacation

SadaNews - On Monday, China warned its citizens against traveling to Japan for the Lunar New Year holiday in February, citing a deteriorating security situation amid heightened tensions between the two countries, according to Agence France-Presse.

Relations between the two largest economies in Asia soured abruptly after Japan's conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted last November that Tokyo might intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan. This statement sparked anger in Beijing, which considers the island an integral part of its territory and does not rule out annexing it by force.

At that time, China advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. The number of Chinese visitors to Japan dropped by 45 percent last month compared to the previous year due to this dispute.

On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated its warning to travelers, advising its citizens to avoid heading to Japan, especially during the long Lunar New Year holiday. The Consular Affairs Administration of the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated: "Public security in Japan has recently deteriorated, with criminal and illegal acts targeting Chinese citizens."

The statement added that a series of earthquakes struck areas in Japan, causing injuries, emphasizing that "Chinese citizens in Japan are facing serious threats to their safety."

Chinese tourists previously represented a quarter of all foreign tourists in Japan; nearly 7.5 million Chinese visited during the first nine months of 2025, according to official Japanese figures.