Hundreds of thousands of flights from China to Japan have been cancelled as tensions escalate between the two countries over Japan’s stance on Taiwan.
The cancellations follow remarks by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, who said her country could become militarily involved if China attempted to invade Taiwan.
China reacted angrily to the comments, warning its citizens and students against travelling to Japan. At least seven Chinese airlines, including the three state carriers, announced free cancellations for passengers with bookings to Japan.
Air travel analyst Hanming Li estimated that around 500,000 flights were cancelled between 15 and 17 November, describing it as the largest mass cancellation since the early stages of the Covid pandemic.
Sichuan Airlines confirmed it had suspended all flights between Chengdu and Sapporo from January until late March, while budget carrier Spring Airlines cancelled several services, citing “company planning reasons”.
China is Japan’s second-largest source of tourists, and its students form the majority of Japan’s international student population, with around 120,000 enrolled last year. The cancellations triggered a sharp fall in shares of Japanese retail and travel companies on Monday.
Li noted that the cancellations would have little impact on China’s domestic aviation industry. “It is not a huge loss for airlines because the Sino-Japan market is small when compared to the whole domestic and international market,” he said.
The travel disruption is part of a wider set of economic countermeasures. A Chinese travel agency confirmed it had stopped processing individual visa applications for trips to Japan, while reports suggested that local-level cultural exchanges had also been cancelled. Film distributors postponed the release of at least two Japanese films in China, and state broadcaster CCTV claimed box office sales for the Japanese animation Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle had slumped due to “strong dissatisfaction” with Takaichi’s remarks.
Japanese business leaders expressed concern over the growing dispute. Yoshinobu Tsutsui, chair of Keidanren, Japan’s largest business lobby, said: “Political stability is a prerequisite for economic exchange.” Industry representatives met Takaichi on Monday, urging her to ease tensions.
In response, Tokyo dispatched senior foreign ministry official Masaaki Kanai to Beijing, where he was expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Liu Jinsong. However, Takaichi has refused to retract her comments, despite Beijing’s demands. The Japanese government insisted its policy on Taiwan remained unchanged, with Takaichi arguing that an attack on Taiwan could pose an existential threat to Japan, allowing it to exercise “self-defence” under its constitution.
The prospect of Japanese involvement in a Taiwan conflict alarms Beijing, as it would likely trigger US involvement under the US-Japan security treaty. While the United States is Taiwan’s strongest supporter, it maintains strategic ambiguity over whether it would intervene militarily.
Chinese state media has given extensive coverage to the dispute, fuelling nationalist sentiment online. Japan has responded by warning its citizens in China to take extra precautions. The foreign ministry reported that more than 100,000 Japanese nationals were living in China in 2023.
Chief cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara said the government’s advice, which includes avoiding crowded places, was issued in response to rising anti-Japanese sentiment in Chinese media. Japan’s embassy in Beijing also urged citizens to remain vigilant, avoid travelling alone, and exercise caution when accompanied by children.
The diplomatic row marks one of the most serious recent confrontations between the two countries, with economic, cultural and security ties now under strain.
