After Japanese media mocked the fact that Chinese tourists have not decreased at all, Chinese airlines have significantly reduced flights to Japan, and now they are all silent!
Recently, some mainstream Japanese media have paid great attention to the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Japan. Multiple Japanese media outlets have published articles claiming that "the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Japan has not significantly declined," even using phrases such as "China's call has been ineffective" and "tourist fever continues," with a tone that reveals an uncontainable sense of superiority.
However, China has taken a decisive move. Even if some people still want to travel to Japan, the airlines have responded to the country's call.
According to multiple sources, from the end of November 2024 to the end of the summer-autumn flight season on March 28, 2025, the three major state-owned Chinese airlines—Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines—have adjusted their flight plans for routes to Japan, significantly reducing overall capacity. Among them, Air China's adjustments are particularly specific and representative.
For example, the Air China CA163 flight (Shanghai Pudong - Osaka Kansai) originally operated daily. However, starting from November 29, the frequency was reduced to only two days per week: Friday and Saturday. Similarly, the CA434 flight from Tokyo Narita to Chongqing was changed from daily operations to four weekly flights between December 1 and March 28 next year, operating mainly from Friday to Monday. These two routes are major lines with high passenger traffic between China and Japan, and the reduction in flights reached approximately 70% and more than 40%, respectively.
Previously, domestic airlines would never proactively cut flights to Japan during the peak season of the Spring Festival. It is worth noting that during the 2023 Spring Festival, Air China had even increased the frequency of flights such as Shanghai-Tokyo and Beijing-Osaka to more than two daily flights.
Now, facing the real capacity reductions by Chinese airlines, the Japanese media who previously loudly promoted the idea have gone silent collectively.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1849554810046476/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.