OSAKA - Chinese tourists are disappearing from major destinations across the Kansai region as diplomatic tensions between Japan and China continue to deepen on the heels of comments by Prime Minister Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, prompting Beijing to urge its citizens to refrain from traveling or studying in Japan.
The impact has spilled over into cultural events as well, with sudden cancellations of performances involving artists from both countries, further adding strain to bilateral relations.
Following Takaichi’s remarks, an event venue in Shanghai saw music abruptly cut during a Japanese artist’s performance, after which the performer was forcibly removed from the stage in an unprecedented scene. Other artists such as Hamasaki Ayumi and Yuzu also experienced rapid cancellations of their scheduled concerts. Beijing has since warned Chinese citizens against non-essential travel to Japan, raising concerns of a sizable economic impact. Chinese visitors traditionally account for about 24% of all inbound tourism spending, and some projections estimate potential losses from this wave of travel restraint at around 1 trillion yen.
To understand the current situation, reporters visited Shinsaibashi on a recent Sunday. The district appeared as crowded as ever, with many foreign tourists, especially from Asia. But despite the crowds, the number of Chinese visitors had clearly fallen. A shop employee said Chinese customers had dropped to less than half of previous levels since the travel warning, though increased traffic from Korean tourists and strong domestic demand had helped offset the decline.
Nearby, a long queue had formed at a popular onigiri specialty store frequented by foreign visitors. Its top-selling rice ball with meat soboro and egg topping, priced at 640 yen, attracted tourists from Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, Hawaii, Singapore, and Malaysia. Previously, roughly 20% of customers had been from mainland China, but on this particular day, none of the 24 people lined up were Chinese. Even so, the shop reported no drop in sales thanks to consistently full seating, while acknowledging that businesses relying heavily on Chinese clientele could face a difficult stretch.
In Kyoto, the same trend was apparent. Yodogiya, known for its aburatorigami blotting papers, said Chinese visitors had declined. Many Chinese customers are known for making large purchases — often spending several tens of thousands of yen — and losing this segment poses a risk. Yet strong demand from Japanese customers has kept overall revenue stable. Other businesses have not been as fortunate. One shop estimated monthly losses of around 3 million yen as half of its customers had previously come from China, illustrating how differently the downturn is affecting various sectors.
Across 20 stores surveyed in Osaka and Kyoto, only two reported experiencing a major hit to sales. Many businesses said that although Chinese visitors had fallen, tourists from other countries had effectively filled the gap.
Reporters then attempted to hear directly from Chinese tourists about why they chose to visit Japan despite Beijing’s travel warning. However, the effort proved challenging. Many declined to speak, suggesting discomfort with discussing political matters publicly. After hours of trying in Osaka and later in Kyoto, most Chinese tourists approached avoided political questions altogether.
One traveler who was willing to talk said they had booked their trip well before tensions escalated and wanted to follow through. They added that after arriving in Japan, they felt no particular cause for concern. They also said they enjoyed shopping because certain items sold in Japan, such as capsule toys, are not available in China.
Another traveler, approached after many attempts, said Japan and China are neighboring countries and should maintain people-to-people exchanges despite political shifts. They said that governments have their positions, but individuals on both sides should help correct misunderstandings when historical perceptions or cultural views diverge. They added that they enjoyed sushi and had been particularly impressed by an izakaya they visited the previous evening.
In the end, reporters spent more than eight hours speaking to visitors in Osaka and Kyoto, approaching 64 groups of Chinese tourists. Only four agreed to be interviewed, a result that highlights the sensitivity of the moment and may reflect the state of Japan-China relations today.
Source: KTV NEWS
