China–Japan tension deepens as Beijing tells state firm staff to avoid Japan
Beijing, China – Beijing intensified its cautionary approach toward Japan this week as several state-owned enterprises urged employees to cancel upcoming trips. The move signaled a fresh spike in tensions between the two Asian powers. Moreover, the advisory arrived at a time when both sides showed no willingness to ease the diplomatic chill.
The strain began after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made a sharp statement about Taiwan. On 7 November, she told Parliament that any attack in the Taiwan Strait could qualify as a “survival-threatening situation.” Her remark would allow Japan to authorise military deployment. China reacted immediately and demanded a retraction. It accused Takaichi of interfering in its internal matters. Although Beijing still waits for an apology, the exchanges grew harsher. As a result, China cancelled several bilateral events and issued travel warnings for Japan. It also advised students planning to study there to reconsider.
Meanwhile, employees at multiple Chinese state-owned firms felt the impact. An engineer in Wuhan said his administrative office called him on Tuesday. The office asked him to cancel his late-November trip to Osaka. He said his company had approved his leave a month earlier. Yet, because state employees need explicit permission to travel abroad, he now must drop his plan. Other workers shared similar experiences.
Furthermore, Chinese social media showed the magnitude of this trend. Dozens of users on RedNote reported that their public-sector employers told them to halt Japan travel. Travel restrictions soon spread to the private tourism sector. Major agencies stopped selling Japan tour packages. Airlines also responded. At least seven Chinese carriers offered full refunds on Japan-bound tickets until year-end.
Independent aviation analyst Li Hanming highlighted the fallout. He said Chinese airlines logged 491,000 cancellations, which represented roughly 32% of all bookings for Japan-bound flights. Japan usually attracts massive tourist inflow from China. From January to August 2025, more than 6.7 million Chinese visitors travelled to Japan. This number was up from 4.6 million the previous year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation. Even so, the latest cancellations threaten to stall that rise.
As travel uncertainty increased, young Chinese citizens worried about losing access to Japanese entertainment. Film distributors delayed multiple releases. Cells at Work!, a Japanese comedy film, missed its scheduled release. Likewise, Crayon Shinchan: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers faced a delay. The movie was supposed to arrive in early December. Fans also wondered whether Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, a massive hit in China over the weekend, could be pulled.
In the coming days, the strain may continue to shape travel plans, tourism revenue, cultural exchange and even classroom decisions. China’s tightened advisories indicate that Beijing wants to send a clear political message. Meanwhile, Japan watches cautiously. Both sides brace for the next move as the tension-ridden atmosphere shows no signs of cooling.
