Chinese tourism to Japan almost halved in December because of a strong diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Tokyo about Taiwan’s security. Japan’s transport ministry said the number of tourists from mainland China dropped by around 45% from the same time last year, reaching about 330,000 visitors. Even with this drop, Japan remains a popular spot for foreign tourists. Last year, a record 42.7 million people visited, beating the previous record of nearly 37 million set in 2024. The decline in Chinese tourists started after Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, warned her country might get militarily involved if China tries to invade Taiwan. China, which sees Taiwan as its province, has not ruled out using force to reunify with it. Takaichi said that if a crisis in the Taiwan Strait threatens Japan's existence, Japan’s self-defense forces could be deployed. Her comments came weeks after she met Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Apec summit, where they promised better ties. But China reacted angrily, advising its citizens not to visit Japan, citing safety risks. China also told its young people not to study in Japan, canceled cultural exchanges, and delayed releasing Japanese films. Japan, in response, warned its 100,000 citizens in China to be extra careful and respect local customs. This long-lasting tension threatens Japan’s tourism, especially since Chinese travelers love Japan’s low-cost yen and culture. China provided almost 7.5 million visitors in the first nine months of 2025, making up a quarter of all foreigners visiting Japan. These tourists spent $3.7 billion in the third quarter of last year and spent 22% more than other visitors on average. Japan’s transport minister, Yasushi Kaneko, said the drop in Chinese tourists in December was not too worrying. He pointed to the record overall visitor number as a “significant achievement” and hoped Chinese visitors would return soon. The issue of Japan’s response to a China-Taiwan conflict has heated up since Russia’s war in Ukraine and doubts over US support for Taiwan under Donald Trump. Japan has increased defenses near Taiwan and the nearby disputed Senkaku Islands, which China calls the Diaoyu. These islands are run by Japan but claimed by China. This diplomatic chill shows how political clashes can shake the global tourism map—will Chinese travelers soon warm up to Japan again?