Japan protests against Chinese travel ban, presses for stable ties

TOKYO – Japan has lodged a protest with China after Beijing advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan amid a spat over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks on Taiwan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Japan “conveyed the message to China and strongly asked it to take appropriate actions”.

“China’s view is not in line with Japan’s understanding. It is precisely because differences remain that multilayered communication between Japan and China is essential,” Mr Kihara, the top government spokesman, told reporters while visiting Niigata, north-west of Tokyo, on Nov 15.

Mr Masaaki Kanai, director-general of the Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, also strongly urged Mr Shi Yong, deputy chief of mission of the Chinese embassy in Japan, to take “appropriate measures”.

China on Nov 14

cautioned its citizens against visiting Japan

amid the row over Ms Takaichi’s comments. She had said last week that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a “survival-threatening situation”, potentially triggering a military response from Tokyo.

Mr Takayuki Kobayashi, policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters in Akita prefecture on Nov 15: “We will continue dialogue and make efforts to build constructive and stable Japan-China relations.”

He added that he wants to confirm the reason behind China’s move. Describing the bilateral relationship as “extremely important”, Mr Kobayashi said Japan’s stance towards China remains unchanged.

On Nov 14, Beijing said it

summoned Japan’s ambassador

, while Tokyo said it summoned China’s ambassador over an “inappropriate” and now-removed online post.

Tokyo has since said its position on Taiwan, just 100km from the nearest Japanese island,

is unchanged

.

In an online post late on Nov 14, China’s embassy in Japan warned its citizens against travelling to Japan. “Recently, Japanese leaders have made blatantly provocative remarks regarding Taiwan, severely damaging the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges,” the WeChat post said.

The situation presents “significant risks to the personal safety and lives of Chinese citizens in Japan”, it added.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan solemnly remind Chinese citizens to avoid travelling to Japan in the near future.”

Chinese tourists make up a significant portion of foreign visitors to Japan. Between January and September of 2025, around 31.65 million foreigners visited Japan, of whom roughly 7.49 million were from China, the most by country or region, according to Japan government data.

In a further development on Nov 15, China’s largest airlines offered full refunds for flights on Japan routes before the end of 2025.

Air China, China Southern and China Eastern all published separate statements on the policies that will allow ticket holders to get a refund or change Japan itineraries free of charge for flights from Nov 15 till Dec 31.

Beijing insists Taiwan, which Japan occupied for decades until 1945, is part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to seize control.

China and Japan are key trading partners, but historical mistrust and friction over territorial rivalries and military spending often test those ties.

Ms Takaichi, a conservative and China hawk, has toned down her rhetoric since assuming office in October.

But just weeks into her administration, the neighbours are at odds.

Addressing Parliament on Nov 7, Ms Takaichi said that an armed attack on Taiwan could warrant sending troops to the island under “collective self-defence”.

If an emergency in Taiwan entails “battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival (of Japan), any way you slice it”, she said.

Security legislation passed in 2015 allows Japan to exercise the right to “collective self-defence” under certain conditions including if there was a clear danger to the country’s survival.

Strategic ambiguity

Despite the escalating diplomatic spat, Ms Takaichi has indicated she has no intention of retracting her statement and insisted it was consistent with Tokyo’s longstanding policy.

But she said she would refrain from referring to specific scenarios in the future.

Previous Japanese prime ministers have avoided commenting directly on Taiwan’s defence, choosing instead to maintain so-called strategic ambiguity.

The United States has also long been deliberately ambiguous on whether it would deploy its military to defend Taiwan.

The most recent row escalated last weekend when the Chinese consul-general in Osaka, Mr Xue Jian, posted about

“(cutting) off that dirty neck

”, apparently referring to Ms Takaichi.

Japan lodged a protest over the since-removed social media post, and Ms Takaichi’s ruling party passed a resolution calling for the envoy to be declared persona non grata.

Before taking power, Ms Takaichi, an acolyte of former premier Shinzo Abe, was a vocal critic of China and its military build-up in the Asia-Pacific.

Ms Takaichi has visited Taiwan in the past and met Taipei’s representative at a recent Apec summit, where she also held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. KYODO NEWS, AFP