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After the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Japan issued a travel reminder on Friday, advising Chinese nationals to refrain from traveling to Japan in the near future, given the multiple criminal offenses and incidents of attacks against Chinese nationals in Japan this year, coupled with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning the Taiwan Straits that have severely undermined the atmosphere for China-Japan personnel exchanges, some Chinese netizens are wondering whether it's still safe to travel to Japan recently. 

A netizen from Shanghai posted on Xiaohongshu on Saturday, saying that she had bought her tickets back in October and was scheduled to depart on December 4, but now she feels very conflicted, calling it a "serious moment." Her post has drawn more than 3,200 comments. Some users said it would be wiser to be cautious from a safety perspective. Others pointed out that several attacks against Chinese nationals have occurred in Japan this year, and that public sentiment in Japan toward China may be changing.

Screenshot of a post on Xiaohongshu from a netizen in Shanghai on Saturday saying she had bought her tickets in October and was scheduled to depart on December 4 for Japan, but now she feels very conflicted. Her post has drawn more than 3,200 comments.

Another netizen, from Beijing, criticized Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan in a post titled "Is it still okay to travel to Japan?" saying that the latest travel advisory reflects China's clear stance and Chinese nationals would rather not go to Japan if they can avoid it.

Following the safety reminder issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Japan, multiple Chinese airlines including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Spring Airlines, and Sichuan Airlines announced on Saturday special ticket-handling policies for flights involving Japan, allowing eligible passengers to change or refund their tickets free of charge. 

A netizen, whose IP address shows to be from Yunnan, posted on Xiaohongshu sharing pictures of flight and hotel cancellations. The netizen had planned to fly from Kunming to Tokyo on November 24, but, after some hesitation, has decided to cancel the trip.

A netizen from Hubei also posted on Xiaohongshu on Saturday, asking, "Is it still safe to go to Japan recently?" The post received 88 replies, including one from a netizen in Guangzhou, who mentioned that at the Guangzhou airport, staff members who interacted with them reminded them to be cautious about safety when traveling to Japan.

Another netizen whose IP address shows to be from Guangdong said he has booked a ticket for Japan for December, but now holds a "wait-and-see" attitude toward the current situation to decide whether to cancel the trip. 

Another netizen from Guangdong posted "Let's see how things are in January. If it's really not feasible, I'll change my plans and go to Turkey instead."

A netizen from Malaysia echoed the view, saying "that sounds like a smart move - Australia and New Zealand offer plenty of amazing experiences without the current uncertainties. Have you planned your itinerary yet, or are you still figuring it out?"

Currently, Chinese travel agencies are adjusting their related travel products based on the refund and rescheduling policies for Japan routes issued by the airlines, financial news site Yicai reported on Saturday.

The upcoming New Year's holiday and year-end vacation period are peak travel times, and Japan had been one of the main destinations, as its travel duration can be flexible, and its costs and scenic attractions meet the preferences and budgets of travelers, according to media reports.

Many tourists have already made bookings. However, given the current advisory, some travelers are likely to cancel or change their plans for safety reasons, Yicai reported. 

Xu Xiaolei, marketing manager at CYTS Tours Holding Co, told the Global Times on Sunday that there really has been a noticeable shift in the sector of outbound travel to Japan. 

"Most of the inquiries we're getting now are about whether it's still okay to travel to Japan, and quite a few travelers are asking about refunds or cancellations. Overall, enthusiasm for traveling to Japan has dropped sharply," Xu said. 

The Japan National Tourism Organization said there were 7.48 million travelers from China between January and September this year. The figure is the highest by any country and region, NHK reported on Saturday.