The prospect of further declines in Chinese visitor numbers to Japan is causing concern for Japan's travel and tourism industry as diplomatic tensions continue, following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's provocative remarks on the Taiwan question.
At a Diet meeting last week, Takaichi said that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. She refused to retract her remark that implies the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait.
China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Sunday advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, citing security concerns.
In a statement published on its official website, the ministry cited the travel advisory issued by the Chinese foreign ministry, which referred to a deteriorating security environment for Chinese citizens in Japan as well as recent provocative remarks made by the Japanese leader regarding China's Taiwan.
China is the second-largest source of inbound visitors to Japan, leaving Tokyo residents concerned about the economic impacts of a decline in the number of Chinese travelers.
"I feel that some Japanese companies cannot do without Chinese consumers. I have indeed felt the rising tensions with China. Therefore, it would be best to resolve this in a gentle manner," said one Tokyo resident.
"I truly believe that if Chinese tourists stop coming, Japan's economy will become less vibrant. So, that can cause some unease," said another resident of the Japanese capital.
In 2024, Chinese travelers made 6.98 million visits to Japan out of a total 36.87 million overseas arrivals, ranking as the second-largest source market and marking a strong 187.9 percent year-on-year increase. In the first nine months of 2025, visits by Chinese tourists reached close to 7.5 million.
"First, in terms of the number of Chinese tourists, if there is a significant decrease, Japan's economy and tourism industry will be affected. Let's talk about reliance. Japan relies to a considerable extent on Chinese tourists because they spend relatively more on shopping, dining, and accommodation. The reduction in tourists will directly impact Japan's airlines, hotels, department stores, luxury retailers, and so on. Secondly, the local economies of some popular destinations such as Hokkaido, Osaka, Okinawa and Kyushu would likely to be affected the most," explained Gao Zijing, a research associate at Shandong University’s Institute of International Studies.
The Nomura Research Institute has warned that Japan could suffer losses of more than 2.2 trillion yen (about 14 billion U.S. dollars), reducing Japan's GDP by 0.36 percent, if Chinese visitor numbers continue to fall.
Drop in Chinese visitor numbers a major concern for Japan's tourism sector
Drop in Chinese visitor numbers a major concern for Japan's tourism sector
The second round of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, with both sides agreeing to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failing to achieve substantive breakthroughs on core issues such as territorial arrangements and a ceasefire.
According to Ukraine, the talks were conducted trilaterally before moving to group consultations. Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said the Ukrainian delegation sought a "dignified and lasting peace," without disclosing specific outcomes.
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, said the trilateral negotiations had been truly constructive, thanking the U.S. and the UAE for their mediating roles.
Russia's presidential special envoy Kirill Dmitriev said on Thursday that there was progress and a positive movement forward in peace talks with Ukraine.
The talks ended with no joint political or security statement, underscoring persistent differences between Russia and Ukraine on key matters, including territorial disputes, ceasefire arrangements, and security guarantees.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said representatives from the three countries reached a consensus on a prisoner swap.
In a readout of the talks he posted on social media, Witkoff described the discussions as constructive and focused on how to create the conditions for a durable peace.
The delegations had wide-ranging discussions over the past two days on the remaining open issues, including methods for implementing a ceasefire and monitoring the cessation of military activities, according to Witkoff.
He added that the United States and Russia had agreed to establish a military-to-military dialogue to be led by commander of U.S. European Command Alexus Grynkewich.
Following the talks, Russia and Ukraine conducted their first large-scale prisoner exchange in nearly five months, with each side returning 157 detainees. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said those released included both military personnel and civilians.
Zelensky also said Thursday that the next peace talks with the delegations of the U.S. and Russia will be held soon. "Further meetings are planned in the near future, likely in the United States," Zelensky said in his evening address.
However, no timetable or arrangements for a next round of talks were announced, highlighting continued uncertainty in the political settlement process.
The second round of talks began on Wednesday. The previous meeting of the trilateral working group on security issues took place from Jan 23 to 24 in Abu Dhabi. It marked the first trilateral engagement since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, although no concrete agreement or joint statement was announced afterward.
In a statement issued earlier, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed cooperation between Russia and Ukraine on the prisoner exchange, saying it demonstrated the UAE's role as a reliable mediator in easing the crisis and promoting constructive dialogue.
2nd round of Russia-Ukraine talks ends in UAE with prisoner swap deal, key differences unresolved
2nd round of Russia-Ukraine talks ends in UAE with prisoner swap deal, key differences unresolved
