China's tourism industry is set to experience a significant recovery during the ongoing three-day Qingming holiday which started on Thursday.
The Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday for people to pay tribute to the deceased, worship ancestors, and embrace nature.
The National Immigration Administration forecasts around 1.8 million inbound or outbound trips daily during the holiday, up 74.5 percent year on year.
Many travel platforms like Trip.com also saw bookings surge.
"Bookings for round-trip tickets on our platform during the holiday is 30 percent more than that of the same period of 2019, with 70 percent visitors for domestic travel and 30 percent for outbound travel. Also, we has seen a 153 percent year-on-year growth in inbound trip bookings for the holiday," said Evelyn Wang, PR Director of Trip.com Group.
As the Qingming holiday is relatively short, tourists mainly opt for nearby destinations. However, some individuals have taken additional days off to extend their vacation, flocking to distant destinations to revel in the beauty of spring.
"I'm going to Thailand to spend the holiday. I took three days off, and now I have an 8-day holiday. Many of my friends made the same choice and are having a trip in places such as Qinghai Province, Phuket in Thailand, and Jeju island in South Korea," said a tourist.
The visa-free arrangements between China and an increasing number of countries have also contributed to the convenience and accessibility of travel.
"Previously, we have to apply for visa when we go to Southeast Asian nations like Singapore. Now it's much more convenient," said another tourist.
"We don't need to spend a lot of time on trip preparation. We can go whenever we want now," said another tourist.
With optimistic travel policies in place, China's tourism industry is poised for a vibrant summer-autumn season.
The China National Tourism Administration's Tourism Academy projects that around 6 billion visits will be made to domestic attractions and destinations this year, with outbound travel expected to exceed 260 million visits.
China's tourism industry set for strong recovery during Qingming holiday
A Japanese scholar on Friday called on people to remain vigilant against de facto constitutional amendments, as the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi moves to advance constitutional amendments and ease military and security restrictions.
Japan's Constitution, which took effect in 1947, is often referred to as the pacifist constitution because its Article 9 renounces war as a sovereign right and prohibits Japan from possessing "war potential."
However, according to local media reports, Takaichi is pursuing constitutional revision, seeking what would be the first-ever amendment to Japan's Constitution since it came into force.
Talking to China Media Group about the current political situation in Japan, Kenji Utsunomiya, former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, warned that the "exclusively defense-oriented policy" under Article 9 is being undermined.
"Some have indeed voiced the opinion that Japan should go nuclear -- something not allowed under Article 9 of the Constitution. Yet those making such statements don't seem to face proper penalties. So, I believe the 'exclusively defense-oriented policy' under Article 9 is being gradually and substantively eroded and undermined. That's Japan's reality today," said Utsunomiya.
The scholar pointed out that recent moves by the Takaichi administration are all de facto constitutional amendments that could endanger peace.
"Regarding the government's lifting of a lethal weapons export ban, increasing the share of defense spending in GDP, and pushing for the establishment of a national intelligence committee, I believe it is necessary to conduct broader national discussions on these matters and to effectively organize opposition campaigns. However, even if we manage to block a formal constitutional amendment, it does not mean we are safe. Actually, a de facto constitutional amendment is already moving ahead. Therefore, we must remain even more vigilant about this," said Utsunomiya.
The Japanese government officially revised its guidelines to allow the export of lethal weapons on April 21.
Also in April, Japan's parliament approved the fiscal 2026 budget, with defense expenditures exceeding nine trillion yen (about 56.3 billion U.S. dollars) for the first time, a historic high.
Japan's House of Representatives on April 23 passed a bill to establish a national intelligence committee. The legislation is expected to be enacted after passing the House of Councillors, where approval is highly likely. Following its enactment, the Takaichi administration aims to launch the committee by summer, according to local media.
Japanese scholar warns of de facto constitutional amendments
