Picture of Sagano Romantic Train (Sagano Torokko Ressha), a sightseeing train that takes passengers on a journey through the Saga-Arashiyama area in western Kyoto. Photo: VCG

Japan's stores and tourism businesses that rely heavily on inbound visitors have voiced concerns about the impact on their performances after China issued alerts advising Chinese nationals to avoid traveling or studying in Japan, Japanese media reported, noting that many in the industry also say they are watching closely to see how the Chinese government will act going forward.

Concerns are also growing in tourist destinations like Kyoto about the upcoming Lunar New Year, which begins in mid-February next year. On Tuesday, Kyoto's Arashiyama district was crowded with foreign visitors enjoying the autumn foliage. A woman in her 50s who manages a souvenir shop said, "There's no impact right now, but many Chinese tourists visit during the Lunar New Year. If this advisory drags on…" she said with concern, Japan's Jiji press reported on Wednesday.

Toshikazu Mitsuhashi, executive managing director of the Fujisawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Mainichi news that, "If we start to see an impact, we will likely work with related organizations to consider how to respond. But we sincerely hope that travel and other people-to-people exchanges at the private level will continue without interruption."

In Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, home to the popular tourist destination Enoshima, a large proportion of visitors come from overseas. According to estimates by the prefectural tourism association, nearly 40 percent of all visitors to the city are travelers from China, Japan's Mainichi news reported on Tuesday.

Concerns are also growing among tourism operators in Okinawa after the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan. Okinawa expects to welcome a record 10.88 million tourists in 2025, and the prefecture remains highly popular among Chinese travelers. Many in the industry fear that "hotels and duty-free shops may be affected," Japan's Nikkei reported.

A representative from Takashimaya, one of the oldest department-store companies in Japan, told the Kyodo news agency on Saturday that, "We expect some impact on customer numbers, but we will closely monitor the situation, including how both governments respond." Although department stores have seen an increase in visitors from other parts of Asia, and industry insiders believe that any decline in inbound tourism would inevitably deal a certain blow, Kyodo News reported.

When asked about the potential impact of Takaichi’s remarks on the Taiwan question on the local economy, a representative from the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau told the Global Times: “As an organization promoting tourism, we consider this development very unfortunate and will be closely monitoring the responses from both the national government and Okinawa Prefecture. Above all, we hope the situation stabilizes soon.”

On the possible impact of the Chinese government's call, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Shigeki Murata said at a news conference, "I prefer not to make any premature statements," the Japan Times reported on Wednesday.

The Japanese government will continue its promotion activities to attract Chinese visitors, Murata said, adding, "We'll make necessary efforts while assessing various factors."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi claimed at a Diet meeting on November 7 that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. She refused to retract her remarks which imply the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Straits, according to Asahi Shimbun.

Multiple Chinese ministries and government agencies have condemned the Japanese side's related moves and remarks, warning that Japan would face a resolute response if it dared to meddle in the Taiwan question.

So far, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Japan, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ministry of Education have issued alerts advising Chinese nationals to avoid traveling or studying in Japan.

Several Chinese travel agencies have warned that trips to Japan may be affected and some tour products could be suspended, as the Global Times confirmed on Monday.

According to The Guardian, citing an air travel analyst, departure data suggested about 500,000 flight tickets to Japan had been cancelled between 15 and 17 November.

Global Times