Chinese air carriers have canceled over 900 scheduled flights to Japan in December, according to Japanese media reports on Saturday, November 29, raising serious concerns about the potential economic repercussions for Japan’s vital tourism industry and international airports, amid an intensifying diplomatic strain between the two nations. This substantial reduction in air traffic, equivalent to 16% of previously planned services, has prompted Japanese economic observers to call for vigilant monitoring, anticipating potential further escalation from Beijing.
Sharp Drop in December Air Traffic
The aviation analytics firm Cirium confirmed the significant disruption, noting that the cancellations affect routes connecting 20 Japanese airports with 36 airports in mainland China. As of Thursday morning, November 27, Chinese airlines had removed 904 flights across 72 routes from their schedules, equating to a capacity reduction of approximately 156,000 seats. This figure marks a steep increase from the 268 flights initially cut just three days earlier on Tuesday, November 25, suggesting a rapid acceleration of the service reduction.
The affected routes are critical arteries for inbound tourism and business travel. Kansai International Airport (KIX), a key gateway to western Japan, has been the most significantly impacted hub, recording 626 inbound flight cancellations. Major routes affected at KIX include 80 canceled flights from Nanjing, 71 from Shanghai, and 58 from Beijing.
Other major Japanese airports are also experiencing significant fallout:
- Narita International Airport (NRT) in Tokyo and Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) in Nagoya each saw 68 cancellations.
- New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Hokkaido, a popular winter destination, lost 61 flights.
- Naha Airport (OKA) in Okinawa recorded 26 cancellations.
Comparatively, Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) was relatively sheltered, with only seven cancellations out of 989 inbound services. Several major Chinese carriers implemented cuts: Spring Airlines slashed 182 flights, Juneyao Air canceled 166, China Southern cut 118, and China Eastern reduced its schedule by 109 flights.
Widespread Economic Implications
The severe reduction in air services is already translating into tangible economic losses beyond the aviation sector. The president of Narita International Airport Corporation acknowledged that Chinese carriers had signaled plans to reduce services starting in December, projecting that 10% to 20% of the almost 300 weekly flights between Narita and China could be canceled.
A separate incident, illustrating the broader economic shockwave, involved a hotel in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture. The establishment disclosed that more than 1,000 bookings made by Chinese tourists were abruptly canceled between November 16 and 19.
Japanese economists are scrutinizing the situation closely, recognizing that the sustained reduction in tourism and business traffic from China could deliver a heavy blow to regional economies that rely on Chinese visitors. The suddenness and scale of the cancellations suggest a coordinated response that extends past routine schedule adjustments, deeply linking the current diplomatic tensions to measurable economic damage for Japan’s travel and hospitality industries. Monitoring how Beijing proceeds in the coming weeks will be crucial for understanding the medium-term impact on bilateral economic relations.