China has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan — a popular destination for Chinese tourists — warning that visiting the country now poses “significant risks” to their personal safety. The advisory, issued late on November 14, 2025, by China’s embassy in Japan, cited recent remarks by Japanese leaders on Taiwan, which have “severely damaged the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges”. The notice urged Chinese citizens to steer clear of Japan “in the near future”.
The travel warnings and airline refunds came as a diplomatic row intensified between Beijing and Tokyo.
China’s travel warning against Japan: Key details
The move immediately triggered a response from the travel industry. China’s biggest airlines, including Air China, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines, announced full refunds and free changes for Japan-bound flights from November 15 through December 31, 2025.
Those holding purchased or reissued tickets before midday, November 15, with unused segments involving travel to or from major Japanese cities (including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Hiroshima and Okinawa) during the specified period are eligible to apply for free processing.
“This applies to flights operated by the airlines and certain codeshare services, covering both standard and mileage-redemption tickets. Requests should be submitted after 00:00 on Saturday, according to each airline’s conditions,” reported Asia News Network.
After China issued a travel warning, shares of tourism and retail companies in Japan fell sharply on November 17. Shiseido dropped 9 percent, Takashimaya fell more than 5 percent, Fast Retailing, the owner of Uniqlo, slid nearly 6 percent, and Japan Airlines lost 3.9 percent in morning trading. Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Education has warned students to be cautious when planning to study in Japan, citing what it described as a “worsening public security situation”.
