Why is China further reducing its flights to Japan?

According to the latest data from the international aviation consulting firm Cirium, the number of flights between the two neighboring countries will decrease by 268 flights in December, representing 97,000 fewer seats compared to November.

A destination not recommended

This situation follows warnings issued in mid-November by several Chinese ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Ministry of Education, advising against travel to Japan.

During the first three quarters of 2025, the number of Chinese travelers to Japan reached 7.48 million, making it the largest group of foreign tourists.

And last October, among the nearly 3.9 million foreign visitors to Japan, just over 715,000 came from China (excluding Hong Kong), representing 18.4%, according to the Japanese news agency Kyodo News.

Furthermore, China is the country of origin for foreign tourists with the highest purchasing power in Japan.

While leisure travel destinations, such as Osaka, are heavily impacted by China’s flight reduction measures, Tokyo appears to be spared for the time being.

As Li Hanming, director of a Cantonese company specializing in travel data analysis, explains, the Japanese capital « hosts a large number of business travelers and transit passengers. »