Takaichi's China remarks continue to have disastrous effect: Nikkei

A growing wave of upset continues to follow Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, upon remarks regarding China's domestic affairs.

In a report released Saturday, Nikkei Asia, a leading Japanese financial newspaper, sounded the alarm, noting a sharp uptick in cancellations of China-to-Japan flights scheduled for December.

According to the report, 904 of the 5,548 flights originally scheduled to travel from China to Japan in December had been scrapped as of Thursday, accounting for 16 percent of the total.

The wave of flight cancellations comes on the heels of an official travel warning issued by the Chinese government, which advised Chinese citizens to exercise caution when traveling to Japan, citing the escalating diplomatic tensions triggered by Takaichi's provocative comments.

In a related development, Adora Cruises, a major Chinese cruise operator, on Friday announced route changes for the first quarter of 2026. The company said two of its cruise ships, Adora Magic and Adora Medditeranea, had temporarily cancelled Japan-bound routes and will focus on popular destinations in the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asia.

Chinese tourists, renowned for their spending power on shopping, dining, and sightseeing, have historically accounted for a substantial share of Japan's tourism revenue, particularly during peak travel seasons such as the year-end holidays and Spring Festival. The average spending of inbound visitors to Japan in 2024 rose 6.8 percent year on year to 227,242 yen ($1,456.4), with Chinese tourists accounting for around 20 percent of the total, leading in spending, reported Xinhua.

The current trend is poised to deal a heavy blow to businesses across Japan's tourism ecosystem, from airlines and hotels to local souvenir shops and scenic spots.