Japan's tourism industry could face losses from China travel boycott

(26 Nov 2025) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Tokyo - 20 November 2025 1. Various of tea ceremony instructor Rie Takeda performing ceremony 2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Rie Takeda, tea ceremony instructor: ++SOUNDBITE OVERLAID BY SHOTS 1 & 3-5++ “Even just yesterday, some individual travelers contacted me to say they could no longer come to Japan due to China’s travel advisory, and told me that they hoped to visit once Japan-China relations have improved. And, I had four tour group bookings but they have all been cancelled too.” 3. Tourists outside landmark in Asakusa district 4. Various of tourists taking photos 5. Top shot of popular shopping street 6. Wide of popular shopping street 7. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shigeo Nishiyama, volunteer tour guide in Asakusa: ++SOUNDBITE SPLIT SCREEN WITH SHOT 6 AND OVERLAID BY SHOTS 8 & 9++ “If the number of Chinese visitors dips, it would be a major blow for the people in this area.” 8. Mid of tourists shopping 9. Various of tourists shopping ASSOCIATED PRESS Tokyo - 21 November 2025 10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Takahide Kiuchi, economist at Nomura Research Institute: ++SOUNDBITE OVERLAID BY SHOTS 9 & 11++ “The impact is significant, especially for the tourism industry. I think there will also inevitably be ripple effects. And while tourism is at the center of this, depending on the sanctions or restrictions China may impose going forward, there could also be effects on overall exports and imports.” ASSOCIATED PRESS Tokyo - 20 November 2025 11. Various of a Chinese tour group STORYLINE: Just days after China issued a travel advisory to avoid Japan due to a political spat between the two nations, Rie Takeda began receiving cancellations from Chinese visitors who couldn't attend her tea ceremony class in Tokyo. Tucked away in an alley in the historic district of Asakusa, around 3,000 Chinese tourists visit her tearoom every year, where a classroom of up to 40 students can watch and experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. But thousands of Chinese tourists cancelled trips to Japan earlier this week after tensions between the two countries recently escalated, over Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting Japan could become militarily involved if China invaded Taiwan, a self-governing island. While the tourist sites in Asakusa were still teeming with visitors, including those from the mainland China, some business operators in the tourism industry were feeling the heat from the political fallout. Japan saw a record number of tourists last year with spending by overseas tourists surging above 8 trillion yen ($52 billion). Chinese tourists accounted for 21% of that, the largest share by nationality. Some fear that China’s latest travel boycott will come as a blow to the Japanese economy. Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at Nomura Research Institute, estimates the current travel advisory could cost Japan 1.8 trillion yen ($11.5 billion), knocking 0.3 percentage points off the country's already low annual economic growth. AP video shot by Ayaka McGill =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...