Japan Embassy in China Urges Caution as Beijing Issues Travel and Study Warnings on Japan

Overview

• The Embassy of Japan in China emailed residents on Nov. 17 urging heightened personal security, including respecting local customs, avoiding crowded or Japan‑linked venues, and keeping distance from suspicious individuals or groups.
• China's Ministry of Education on Nov. 16 advised citizens to reconsider studying in Japan, citing poor security and study conditions and claiming increased risks and frequent crimes targeting Chinese nationals.
• Chinese authorities on Nov. 14 issued guidance urging people to refrain from traveling to Japan.
• Chinese students were the largest foreign student group in Japan at 123,485 as of May 1, 2024, representing 36.7% of all international students, a scale that could affect institutions reliant on their enrollment.
• Coverage characterizes the Chinese advisories as likely retaliation and economic pressure tied to Takaichi's Diet statement that a Taiwan contingency could constitute an existential crisis.