ISTANBUL

China on Monday urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan as the Chinese New Year holiday approaches, citing rising criminal cases targeting its nationals and earthquake risks.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it advised its citizens to avoid travel to Japan in the near future ahead of the Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, which runs from Feb. 17 to March 3.

According to state-run Global Times, the ministry said that “in recent weeks, public security in Japan has deteriorated, with crimes targeting Chinese nationals on the rise and a series of earthquakes causing injuries.”

The ministry also advised Chinese nationals currently in Japan to closely monitor local public security conditions, as well as early-warning information on earthquakes and other disasters.

Beijing first issued a travel advisory against Japan in November 2025, following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments related to Taiwan.

China-Japan relations have strained since November, when Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could legally constitute a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially allowing Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense.

The remarks drew strong backlash from Beijing, which advised its citizens against travel to Japan and reinstated a ban on Japanese seafood imports, among other measures.

Meanwhile, Takaichi on Monday expressed her willingness to hold direct talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid ongoing bilateral tensions over Taiwan.