Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says she remains open to talks with China, despite a diplomatic dispute over Taiwan that has impacted tourism and military encounters.
TOKYO: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday that Japan is “always open” to dialogue with China, despite an ongoing diplomatic row over her comments on Taiwan.
“China is an important neighbour for Japan, and we need to build constructive and stable relationships,” Takaichi told a news conference.
The dispute stems from Takaichi’s suggestion in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on the self-ruled island.
China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, issued a travel warning for its citizens against visiting Japan.
Official data shows the warning impacted visitor numbers, with arrivals from mainland China last month rising just 3% year-on-year.
This was the weakest growth since January 2022, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
Around 560,000 Chinese travellers visited Japan in November, with the JNTO citing the travel warning as a factor in the modest increase.
Year-on-year growth had been in double digits for months, hitting 22.8% in October and 36.5% in August.
China is Japan’s largest source of tourists, with nearly 7.5 million visitors in the first nine months of 2025.
Attracted by a weak yen, Chinese tourists spent the equivalent of USD 3.7 billion in the third quarter alone.
Each Chinese tourist spent on average 22% more than other visitors last year, according to JNTO data.
The row escalated this month when Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese jets.
Tokyo responded by summoning Beijing’s ambassador to protest the incident.
