Japan protests China’s travel advisory over Taiwan remarks

Japan has raised objections after China advised its citizens to avoid visiting Japan

BEIJING — Japan raised objections Saturday after China advised its citizens to avoid visiting Japan, as a feud over the new Japanese leader’s remarks on Taiwan showed no signs of dying down.

The government in Tokyo lodged a protest and its top spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, urged China to take “appropriate measures,” Japan’s Kyodo News Service reported.

China advised its citizens Friday to refrain from traveling to Japan in the near future. It cited earlier attacks against Chinese in Japan and what it called Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ‘s “erroneous remarks” on Taiwan, which it said undermined the atmosphere for China-Japan exchange.

Kihara told reporters that it is precisely because of the differences between the two governments that multilayered communication is essential, a Kyodo report said.

China has repeatedly recommended its nationals take security precautions when in Japan over the past year, but the latest announcement appeared to be stronger in advising against travel, according to notices posted on the website of its embassy in Tokyo.

Japan is an immensely popular destination for Chinese tourists, providing a much-needed economic boost but also sparking an anti-China and anti-foreigner backlash from some. It’s u