Japan's Chinese Tourist Boom Falters Amid Geopolitical Tensions

• Chinese visitor growth to Japan slowed to 3% in November, weakest in nearly four years, due to Beijing's travel curbs.
• The slowdown follows PM Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan, prompting Beijing to advise against travel and cut flights.
• Chinese travelers are Japan's biggest spenders, accounting for a fifth of its ¥8.1 trillion ($52.4 billion) tourism revenue.
• Osaka, a key hub, is severely impacted with flight cuts at Kansai International Airport and a 55-65% drop in Chinese bookings.
• Japan aims to diversify its visitor mix, with some regions like Gifu and Shizuoka already showing reduced reliance on Chinese tourists.

Why It Matters: Geopolitical tensions between Japan and China are significantly impacting Japan's vital tourism sector.