Japan-China Exchange Events Canceled or Postponed Amid Travel Advisory (Comprehensive 2nd Report)

Sister city visits delayed; corporate seminars and student field trips also canceled

Chinese State Media: "Korea Replaces Japan as Top Overseas Travel Destination for Chinese"

Tourists visiting Tokyo, Japan [AFP Yonhap News file photo. Reproduction and database prohibited]

(Tokyo, Seoul=Yonhap News) Correspondent Kyung Soo-hyun, Park Sang-hyun, Reporter Cha Byung-seop = Following the Chinese government's advisory against travel to Japan, China-Japan exchange events are being successively canceled, escalating tensions.

According to Japanese media, China's Xuzhou City notified its sister city, Handan City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on November 15th that their scheduled visit on November 18th would be postponed.

While it was not clearly stated whether the postponement was due to remarks by Sanae Takaichi, Japan's Minister of State for Women's Empowerment, suggesting intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency, the postponement notice was sent via email the day after the Chinese government issued its advisory to refrain from traveling to Japan.

Xuzhou City and Handan City initiated sister city cooperation projects and continued exchanges in 1993.

Nonoichi City in Ishikawa Prefecture also announced that the planned visit of an educational and goodwill delegation from Shenzhen Primary School in China, scheduled for the previous day, had been postponed.

Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture announced that Mayor Shintaro Maeda's business trip to China, scheduled for that day, was postponed at the request of the Chinese side.

Mayor Maeda had planned to visit Suzhou, Shanghai, and other cities in China to promote the Port of Shimonoseki.

Takamatsu City in Kagawa Prefecture had also planned to send a delegation comprising the mayor and city council members to Nanchang, China, on November 20th. However, they were contacted by the Chinese side stating that "under the current bilateral circumstances, it is not possible to fully achieve the effects of the exchange program," and the visit was postponed.

The Sankei Shimbun, citing Japanese officials, reported that the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka had notified the cancellation of the "8th West Japan Area Japan-China Friendship Exchange Conference," which was scheduled to be held in Hiroshima City on November 21st.

Xue Jian, the Consul General leading the consulate, strongly protested Takaichi's remarks on his X (formerly Twitter) account on November 9th, stating, "'Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency' is a path to death that some foolish politicians in Japan are choosing."

He also posted and later deleted a threatening message that read, "There is no choice but to cut off the filthy neck."

The impact of China's travel advisory to Japan is already beginning to be felt in Japan's tourism industry.

According to the Asahi Shimbun, RCC, a Japanese travel agency specializing in Chinese tourists, reported that approximately 30 corporate group travel itineraries, including inspection tours, scheduled from late November to early December have been canceled, and 9 pre-visit trips for exchange students planned for January-February next year have also been canceled.

Chinese state media outlet Global Times reported on the previous day, citing data from the online travel platform Qunar, that "Korea is replacing Japan as the 'Number 1' (most popular) overseas travel destination for Chinese people."

The report stated that Korea ranked first in overseas flight bookings for the past weekend (November 15-16) according to Qunar. Korea was also ranked first in terms of flight searches, and Seoul was the most searched overseas flight destination as of the previous day.

In addition to the travel advisory, China is also recommending that travel to Japan for study purposes be approached with caution.

In this regard, the Asahi Shimbun reported that a private university in the Kansai region received cancellation notices from Chinese students who were scheduled to participate in short-term study abroad programs lasting one to two weeks.

Following the announcement of the travel advisory to Japan by the Chinese government, major Chinese airlines announced free cancellations of flights to Japan, and some large Chinese travel agencies have suspended sales of travel packages to Japan.

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) announced that several economic exchange events, including joint China-Japan business seminars, have been canceled or postponed at the request of the Chinese side.

Kyodo News, citing expert opinions, projected that while China's economy may lose business opportunities in Japan due to the halt in economic exchanges, Japan is expected to suffer greater damage.

psh59@yna.co.kr

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