Japan was the top travel destination for Chinese tourists over the Lunar New Year, with the number of reservations on travel site Trip.com spanning the eight-day holiday period doubling from the previous year.
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The surge in interest has been pinned to the weakening of the yen and warming China-Japan ties, Kyodo News cited industry observers as saying.
Bilateral ties have improved between China and Japan, with both governments holding their first dialogue in six years in January and vowing to promote people-to-people exchanges.
Japan in December offered to ease visa rules for Chinese visitors, extending the maximum length of multiple-entry visas from five years to 10 years, while the maximum stay for groups of tourists will also be increased from 15 days to 30 days, according to local media.
The move followed China’s decision to add Japan to its visa-free entry scheme in November, allowing visitors to stay for up to 30 days.
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Another important development was the mutually improving public opinion between both countries, which is seen as a positive backdrop for inbound Chinese tourists, according to multiple experts.
