491,000 China-Japan flight tickets cancelled after PM's Taiwan comments, China bans Japan seafood imports

After a travel warning was issued by China to its citizens, Chinese airlines reported 491,000 ticket cancellations for flights to Japan.

That amounts to approximately 32 per cent of total bookings to Japan by Chinese airlines, reported Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning post (SCMP). 

Chinese citizens were advised by Beijing to avoid travels to Japan after a diplomatic spat resulting from comments made by Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi.

Following the warning on Nov. 14, many Chinese airlines including Air China, offered refunds.

SCMP noted that the scale of cancellations was similar to early 2020 and the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Japan PM's comments on Taiwan

Takaichi previously commented that an attack on Taiwan by the Chinese could amount to a "survival-threatening situation" and trigger a military response from Tokyo.

China's Consul General Xue Jia in Osaka then shared a news article in a now-deleted tweet that further escalated tensions. 

The article possibly alluded to Takaichi, stating, "The dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off".

The diplomatic spat sparked the Chinese Embassy in Japan to release a travel warning on WeChat on Nov. 14 which led to the present situation.

The warning alleged that crimes against the Chinese in Japan were rising and that the safety of Chinese citizens "continues to deteriorate".

However, Nikkei, a Japanese publication, said that violent crimes against Chinese citizens were decreasing, citing statistics from the National Police Agency.

Seafood imports suspended

Adding to Japan's woes, China has also reimposed an import ban on Japanese seafood mere weeks after removing it, said SCMP .

Reports stated that China will take "further measures" against Japan till PM Takaichi's Taiwan comments are retracted.

On Nov. 19, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that Takaichi's input on Taiwan had undermined China-Japan relations, reported Reuters.

"Under the current circumstances, even if Japanese seafood were to be exported to China, it would find no market."

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Top photo from Hoyoun Lee/Unsplash.