Japan-China travellers still face delays despite resumption of visa services

Travel agents have warned that flights between the two countries remain rare and expensive and many Japanese are reluctant to visit China because of Covid

Japan says it has resumed normal services for Chinese citizens, but some agencies in China have said single-entry visas are not yet available

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People walk by a signboard promoting Japanese culture at a subway station in Beijing. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 2:30pm, 31 Jan 2023

Travel between China and Japan will remain disrupted even though the two countries have started issuing visas again, travel agents have warned.

China’s embassy in Japan said on Sunday it had resumed issuing ordinary visas for Japanese citizens. The service was suspended earlier this month after Japan strengthened its Covid-19 checks on travellers entering the country from China.

Nippon Travel Agency Shanghai said the resumption was good news for Japanese citizens operating businesses in China.

But a staff member at the agency said Japanese citizens were still reluctant to visit China “because of the pandemic situation in the country”, adding that flights between the two countries are limited and expensive.

The move was also welcomed by the Japanese government, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno saying on Monday that his country will continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation in China and deal “flexibly” with border control measures.

The Chinese mainland recorded 6,364 Covid-19 deaths in hospitals from January 20 to 26, according to data released on Sunday. The death toll has dropped by nearly half compared with the previous week.