Tensions aside: Chinese tourists flock to Japan as major military parade is held

China staged a massive military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in the second world war with great fanfare, but of course not all were glued to the spectacle – there were, for instance, many who opted to visit the neighbouring country at this time and simply have fun.

Japan was one of the most popular overseas destinations for Chinese tourists during a three-day national holiday through Saturday, travel agencies said.

 “I chose this time to visit, because the government suddenly announced [in May] this special holiday,” Yu Yong, a 40-year-old employee of an information-technology company, said. “I heard that Japan is a very good place and recently it’s a hot tourist destination.”

According to Ctrip.com, 2,013 people across China booked trips to Japan through the company with departure dates between Tuesday and  yesterday, up from 1,164 a year ago.

During the same period, the Chinese leading online travel agency said those departing from Beijing, where the parade was held, stood at 616, compared with 153 from a year earlier.

A 34-year-old public official, who gave only her surname, Zhou, said she would leave for Japan’s southwestern Kyushu region for four days from Wednesday with a tour package.