Shanghai has emerged as a top overseas destination for Japanese travelers during Japan's Golden Week, with tourist numbers surging 2.6 times compared to last year, according to data from airlines and tourism operators.
This year's Golden Week in Japan, which coincided with China's May Day holiday, brought a wave of Japanese tourists to Shanghai, fueled by convenient travel connections and China's reinstated visa-free policy for Japanese citizens.
"Currently, there are nine flights daily from Tokyo to Shanghai -- four from Narita and five from Haneda. Compared to last year, seat occupancy on these flights has risen by 10.3 percent during the Golden Week," said Cai Zhen, director of the Haneda Airport Office of Shanghai Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines.
Strolling through Yu Garden, eating soup dumplings, enjoying The Bund's night view, and watching acrobatic shows have become the classic "must-do trio" for Japanese tourists in Shanghai, with Shanghai Disneyland also attracting many families for a memorable visit.
"The atmosphere at The Bund is amazing. It's kind of like Yokohama, but grander. The environment blends the old with the new beautifully," said one Japanese traveler.
"I've been to Shanghai before and loved it. I definitely want to come back," said another Japanese traveler.
"The streets are so clean, and places like The Bund feel very European. Disneyland is newer and more high-tech than Tokyo's. Honestly, if you visit Shanghai Disneyland first, Tokyo's might feel a bit underwhelming," said a Japanese traveler.
Shanghai tourism booms during Japan’s Golden Week
Tensions rise in Iraq after Sunday's U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with Baghdad intensifying security measures in the Green Zone and a mass evacuation of U.S. embassy personnel underway.
The Iraqi Security Forces have deployed SWAT teams and armored vehicles in the Green Zone, particularly heavily in areas near the U.S. embassy. Temporary cordons were established around the diplomatic premises, barring access of unauthorized personnel. According to sources in the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, over 500 staff members and contractors associated with the U.S. embassy have already left the country.
Meanwhile, Shia militias associated with Iran in Iraq have issued statements over the past days, threatening retaliatory attacks on U.S. military bases in the Middle East in response to the strikes on Iran. The Iraqi government is still in communication with radical militias to prevent further escalation of the situation.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani pointed out in Monday's phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the U.S. military aircraft intruded Iraqi airspace while carrying out the attacks on Iran.
Al-Sudani condemned the violation of Iraqi airspace by U.S. and Israeli aircraft, stressing Iraq's commitment to upholding its sovereignty and calling on the UN Security Council to fulfill its core responsibility in halting the war and intensifying diplomatic efforts.
Multiple Iraqi parliament members and religious leaders have voiced criticism against the U.S. for its hypocrisy, demanding the Iraqi government to strengthen airspace control and calling for withdrawal of the U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq, the prime minister said.
Small-scale protests have also broken out in Bagdad and Najaf, with demonstrators holding banners saying "Defend sovereignty, oppose occupation," requiring the government to take a tougher stance against the U.S. military operations.
Facing growing pressures from multiple sides, the Iraqi government is reassessing its security and military cooperation framework with the U.S.
According to some analysts, if the U.S. continues to ignore Iraqi sovereignty and take further military actions against Iran, the U.S.-Iraq relationship might face challenges.
Iraq ramp up security in Baghdad's Green Zone after US airstrikes on Iran
