The Yomiuri Shimbun (Yomiuri) reported on Friday that the Chinese government is in the final stages of coordinating the resumption of short-term visa exemptions for Japan, following a similar move for South Korea.
The Chinese travel industry expects the government to reinstate visa waivers for Japanese visitors as early as November.
The Yomiuri explained that this move follows the summit held on November 15 in Peru, where Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reaffirmed their commitment to a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship.
Previously, China exempted nationals of Japan, Singapore, and Brunei from needing visas for short-term visits (up to 15 days) for tourism and business purposes. However, the policy was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, China has resumed short-term visa exemptions for approximately 30 countries, primarily in Europe and Southeast Asia, to boost foreign tourism. However, it did not extend this resumption to Japan.
Despite repeated requests from the Japanese government, China initially refused, insisting on reciprocal visa waivers for Chinese citizens traveling to Japan. At the time, Japan declined to grant full visa exemptions but worked toward simplifying visa application procedures, according to Yomiuri.
The decision to reconsider visa waivers for Japan appears to be driven by China’s economic interests. The Yomiuri reported that local governments in China, seeking to attract Japanese investment, strongly advocated reinstating visa-free entry. Analysts also suggest that Beijing may aim to strengthen ties with Japan to counterbalance its deteriorating relations with the United States.
It is believed that Xi perceives Ishiba as more moderate toward China than his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, who rapidly strengthened the U.S.-Japan alliance.
Meanwhile, China announced on November 1 that it would unilaterally implement a visa-free policy for South Korean citizens until December 31, 2025.
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