Seoul gains from Tokyo’s pain over Lunar New Year as politics reshapes China’s tourism map

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Yeon Woo Lee,Alice LiFebruary 24, 2026 at 04:00 AM

AI Summary

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Due to strained Sino-Japanese relations, Seoul benefited from an increase in Chinese tourism during the Lunar New Year holiday, which began February 15th. A diplomatic dispute arose in November when a Japanese Prime Minister made comments regarding potential military action, leading Beijing to advise Chinese citizens against traveling to Japan. Consequently, many Chinese tourists, like Tang Junjie and his family, altered travel plans, opting to stay in Seoul instead of continuing to Japan. This shift highlights how political tensions can reshape tourism patterns, diverting Chinese travelers from Japan to alternative destinations like South Korea. The Lunar New Year holiday ended on Monday.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sichuan province 50% Sanae Takaichi 60% Korea 70% Tang Junjie ×370% Beijing ×280% Tokyo ×380% Seoul ×380% Japan ×590% China ×390%

Keywords

lunar new year 90% chinese tourists 80% sino-japanese relations 70% tourism 70% japan 60% seoul 60% diplomatic dispute 60% travel advisory 50% overseas trip 40%