Chinese tourists voice concerns over traveling to Japan after Barbie Hsu's death

By Hoang Vu February 6, 2025 | 11:37 pm PT

A crowd of tourists are seen at Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, western Japan, March 30, 2023. Photo by Reuters

A Chinese travel agency has reported a surge in inquiries from tourists about travel risks for trips to Japan following the death of Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu from influenza-related pneumonia.

An employee at Beijing-based Guangda Travel Agency said while the number of travelers planning trips to Japan has not significantly changed since Hsu's passing, inquiries about travel risks, medical insurance, and recommended medications have increased, Global Times reported.

Many travelers are also comparing the severity of flu outbreak in Japan to previous flu waves in China.

"Barbie Hsu's Passing" has quickly become one of the top trending searches on Weibo, while "Japanese Flu" also gained traction.

As Japan remains a top travel destination for Chinese tourists, the ongoing flu outbreak has sparked heated discussions online, with netizens sharing their experiences of contracting the flu while visiting Japan, 8 Days reported.

China was the second-largest source of tourists to Japan last year, with 6.98 million visitors, nearly three times the number in 2023, trailing only South Korea with 8.82 million, according to Kyodo News.

Hsu, 49, widely known as Big S and a beloved actress across East and Southeast Asia, passed away Feb. 2 during a family trip to Japan for the Lunar New Year holidays.

Her death prompted health experts in Thailand and Hong Kong to advise their nationals to reconsider travel plans to Japan.

According to the Associated Press, Japan is experiencing its largest flu outbreak in 25 years.

Data from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases shows approximately 9.52 million flu cases were recorded between Sept. 2, 2024, and Jan. 26, 2025.