Chinese Airlines Cut Flights to Japan Amid Tensions

Several major Chinese airlines have adjusted their Japan-bound flight schedules this week, with routes partially or fully closed to bookings, following recent comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding China's Taiwan, Jiefang Daily reported.

Air China and China Eastern, along with budget operators such as Spring Airlines, have all reduced capacity on key routes. Air China has scaled back services between Beijing and Sapporo, and between Shanghai and Osaka, while flights from Shanghai to Fukuoka and Kansai have also been cut.

China Eastern and Juneyao Air have closed bookings on multiple connections linking Beijing, Chengdu, and Nanchang to major Japanese cities such as Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya. Several low-cost carriers have followed suit, suspending selected routes and limiting seat availability from cities including Dalian, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou.

Travel agencies in Japan say the fallout has been swift. Cancellations have surged in recent days, with tourism operators reporting that "a lot of bookings have been withdrawn" and business conditions have become "very difficult."

The market has responded as well: Shares tied to Japan's inbound tourism sector have declined as investors brace for a potential long-term cooling of China–Japan ties.

Analysts at Nomura Research Institute estimate that China's travel warnings could cost Japan roughly 1.79 trillion yuan (US$115 billion) in tourism revenue over the next year – an economic hit that could shave about 0.29 percent from the country's real GDP.