BEIJING: A Chinese state-owned travel agency that had resumed accepting bookings for group tours to Japan has again suspended sales, possibly under pressure from the Chinese government.
The travel agency, which is affiliated with China Tourism Group Corp., was offering 7-day tours visiting Tokyo, Osaka and other locations during the summer holidays between July and August.
The move to suspend sales may have been prompted following the spread of media reports about the tours.
An agency official said on Friday (June 19) that there were several groups who applied for the tours, but the company’s website on Saturday (June 20) listed the sales as “suspended,” suggesting that the tours may have been cancelled.
The Chinese government asked its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments in the Diet in November regarding a possible Taiwan contingency. The request sparked a number of group tour cancellations and suspensions.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, the number of Chinese visitors to Japan from January to May fell by 56.2% compared to the same period last year. – The Yomiuri Shimbun
