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WU NAN

Relations between the world's second and third largest economies may still be chilly, but that hasn't stopped a record number of Chinese tourists from visiting Japan this year.
Twice as many mainlanders have applied for Japanese tourist visas than had at this time last year, tour agencies in Beijing say.
"Not many Chinese tourists were willing to travel to Japan at that time when relations between the two countries had a rough moment," said a member of staff at the Bestour travel agency in Beijing.
About 1.8 million Chinese tourists visited Japan in the first 10 months of the year, according to the most recent data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation - an 80 per cent increase over the same period last year.
Bestour, which is accredited by the Japanese embassy in Beijing to organise tours to Japan, helped 500 mainland customers obtain Japanese visas last month via the shopping portal Taobao .
China International Travel Service, the mainland's largest tour agency, said it had also handled a lot more Japanese visa applications.
Last year, a simmering territorial dispute over islands in the East China Sea, called the Diaoyus in China and the Senkakus in Japan, appeared headed for a possible armed conflict.
Luo Yuan, a retired People's Liberation Army general and vice-president of the China Strategy Culture Promotion Association, a quasi-official military and international-affairs think tank, warned early this year that China should remain highly vigilant against Japan.
But Sino-Japanese relations relaxed considerably after President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Beijing early last month, their first formal talks since the two leaders took office.
"Sino-Japanese relations have been very stable in the past three months. Leaders from both countries have made efforts to prevent the bilateral relationship deteriorating further," said Shi Yinhong , a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing.
"Still, issues over the Diaoyu Islands and visits by Japanese cabinet members to the Yasukuni Shrine [to Japan's 2.5 million war dead, including 14 top war criminals] are at the core of the difference between the two countries," he said.

Despite the diplomatic tensions, many Chinese tourists have spoken favourably of their holiday experiences in Japan. Mainlanders have also benefited from simplified visa procedures and three-year multiple-entry visas announced by Japan during the Apec meeting.
Tokyo earlier greatly expanded its duty-free product range and simplified tax-return procedures to lure more mainland spenders during October's "golden week" holiday.
A Weibo forum devoted to travel in Japan has attracted more than 110,000 followers, many of whom post photos and stories of their visits. The most popular posts feature Japanese cuisine and scenery.
Jiu Cang, a first-time visitor to Tokyo, wrote that she was most impressed by the view from the Tokyo Tower at night. "It's hard to describe the magnificent views from here," she wrote.
An agent at Bestour said many first-time Chinese visitors to Japanese were keen to return.
"Their environment is so clean. Their service is so good. Who wouldn't want to visit Japan again?" he said.
Japan is also attracting more visitors from Taiwan - 1.46 million in the first six months of 2014, compared with 1.11 million in the same period last year.
The influence of Japanese culture on Taiwan - from pop music to fashion and food - is far stronger than on the mainland mainly because the island was ruled by Japan from 1895 to 1945. It is not unusual for Taiwanese to visit Japan at least once - but often more times - in a single year.
"Every time I visit Japan, I feel wonderful," said Charles Hung, a doctor at a Taipei hospital, who travels there at least five times a year. "If I look for trendy stuff or electronic devices, I go to Tokyo. When I'm in a more meditative mood, I visit [the ancient capital] Kyoto."
Wendy Shen, another Taiwanese impressed with Japan, organises tours there twice a year - in spring and autumn.
"You can imagine how beautiful it is in spring when you are surrounded by trees ablaze with sakura [cherry blossoms]," she said. "In autumn you can enjoy golden and red maple leaves, which you hardly see in Taiwan."
Additional reporting by Lawrence Chung


Despite Beijing-Tokyo tensions, mainland tourists flock to Japan

Shopping is just one of the attractions Japan offers. Photo: Bloomberg

News

China

Political relations between the neighbouring countries have their ups and downs, but visits from mainland hit record so far this year


Bilateral relations may still be chilly, but that hasn't stopped a record number of Chinese tourists from visiting Japan this year.
