Japan has dropped out of the top 10 overseas destinations for Chinese travelers over this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, according to travel agency Tuniu (途牛), after ranking first a year earlier. Indonesia, Turkey and South Korea now rank among the most popular. The shift follows worsening China-Japan relations after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (高市早苗) remarked on a potential Taiwan contingency last November, prompting Chinese authorities to issue travel and study warnings for Japan. Japan National Tourism Organization data show Chinese visitors to Japan fell 56.4% YoY to 2.05 million in the first half of 2026. South Korea received 3.21 million Chinese visitors, up 27.4%.
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