At least two state-owned Chinese travel agencies are said to have scrapped group bookings made months in advance. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

By Joseph Campbell and John Geddie TOKYO (Reuters) -Within days of China urging its citizens not to travel to Japan due to a diplomatic dispute, Tokyo-based tour operator East Japan International Travel Service had lost 80% of its bookings for the remainder of the year.

Japanese tourism and retail shares have dived after China warned its citizens to avoid the tourist hotspot in a spat over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan, with a row sparked by Takaichi’s suggestion that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on the self-ruled island.

Japanese tourism and travel-related stocks slumped Monday after Beijing warned its citizens against traveling to and studying in Japan amid a deepening diplomatic spat between the nations.

TOKYO, Nov 21 — Japan is staring at a potential US$1.2 billion (RM5 billion) blow to its tourism receipts as Chinese travellers scrap holiday plans in the wake of a worsening diplomatic row, Bloomberg reported.

As China reportedly mulls a ban on Japanese seafood amid a standoff between the Asian neighbors, Taiwan's leader shows support for Tokyo, with his lunch.

When tensions started flaring up again between Japanese and Chinese governments last week, it was still business as usual for Tokyo-based tour operator East Japan International Travel Service. Fiona Jones reports.