Passengers line up orderly at check-in counters at Nanjing Lukou International Airport in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province on October 1, 2025. Photo: VCG

Due to the low volume of planned flights, 12 routes from Chinese mainland cities to Japan have already canceled all flights for the upcoming week as of 10 am on Monday, according to data from industry information provider Flight Master on Monday.

Among the top 20 routes by scheduled flight volume, the routes with the highest cancellation rates include Tianjin Binhai-Kansai International, Nanjing Lukou-Kansai International and Guangzhou Baiyun-Kansai International. 

Flight Master said the cancellation rate for scheduled flights to Japan is expected to reach 21.6 percent on November 27, the highest level in the past month.

As of Monday, the number of canceled flights from Chinese mainland to Japan scheduled from November 24 to December 31 has increased by approximately 56 percent compared to the same period last month, according to data from industry information provider Umetrip.

Also, as of Monday, Chinese airlines (excluding 9 Air and Spring Airlines) have reduced their domestic flight bookings to Japan for the next 60 days by approximately 29 percent compared to the 60-day bookings on November15th, the Umetrip data showed.

On November 16, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism advised Chinese 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, according to Xinhua.

On the same day, the Ministry of Education released an overseas study alert, urging Chinese students currently in Japan or planning to study there soon to assess risks carefully, take necessary precautions, and plan their studies prudently.

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

On November 15, multiple Chinese airlines including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Spring Airlines, and Sichuan Airlines announced special ticket-handling policies for flights involving Japan, allowing eligible passengers to change or refund their tickets free of charge.

Global  Times