World's 'most favorite country' issues travel warning for citizens in China

By AFP November 18, 2025 | 06:28 pm PT

Visitors pose for pictures at the Badaling section of the Great Wall in Beijing, China, in 2023. Photo by Reuters

Japan, voted "world's most favorite country" this year by readers of Condé Nast Traveler, has warned its citizens in China to step up safety precautions and avoid crowded places amid a deepening dispute between Asia's two largest economies over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan.

The escalating spat has already seen Beijing advise Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan and hit Tokyo stocks.

"Pay attention to your surroundings and avoid as much as possible squares where large crowds gather, or places that are likely to be identified as being used by many Japanese people," the Japanese embassy in China said in a statement on its website dated Monday.

Beijing on Tuesday vowed to "protect the safety" of foreigners in China, but said it had again lodged a "strong protest" with Tokyo over Takaichi's comments.

Minoru Kihara, Japan's top government spokesman, said the embassy's advice was issued "based on a comprehensive assessment of the political situation, including the security situation in the relevant country or region, as well as the social conditions".

The diplomatic feud between China and Japan was ignited by Takaichi's suggestion that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on Taiwan.

China reacted furiously to Takaichi's comments.

Japanese tourism and retail shares dived on Monday after China warned its citizens to avoid Japan, a tourist hotspot.

In his meeting with his counterpart in Beijing, the Japanese foreign ministry's Kanai rejected China's justification for its travel warning, saying "public order within Japan has in no way deteriorated", according to a ministry statement.

He "strongly urged (China) to take appropriate measures," the statement added.

Li Hanming, an aviation analyst, told AFP that around 500,000 tickets from China to Japan had been canceled since Nov. 15.

In Tokyo's upscale Ginza district Tuesday, tourist Mike Lam, from Hong Kong, said he hoped the two countries could resolve the dispute.

"I hope we can all respect each other, so things can be better for Japan, for us Chinese, better for everyone," said the 45-year-old.

Asia's two top economies are closely entwined, with China the biggest source of tourists -- almost 7.5 million visitors in the first nine months of 2025 -- coming to Japan.