In 2019, a total of 7.69 million visas were issued for travel to Japan (including 6.3 million for mainland Chinese citizens). But the number of visas issued dropped to 3.52 million last year (with 2.18 million for mainland China). Compared to the overall recovery rate of 46%, the recovery rate for mainland China was only about 35%, while other regions reported a 96% recovery rate. The recovery rate for mainland China was clearly slower than other regions.
The recovery of Sino-Japan tourism is also uneven across different parts of China, mainly manifested in two aspects.
First, Shanghai's dominance in travel to Japan has become increasingly apparent. In 2023, the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai issued 1.12 million visas, accounting for 51% of China’s total. The Shanghai consulate office is also the busiest among all Japanese consulates worldwide in terms of visa issuance.
Secondly, the significant increase in the proportion of multiple-entry visas being issued. For example, the number of multiple-entry visas issued by the Japanese consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou has grown by about 30%. Overall, the issuance of multiple-entry visas has recovered to the levels seen in 2019 (notably, the embassy in Beijing has only returned to 61% of its pre-pandemic level). Meanwhile, the total number of single-entry visas issued remains at about 24%, showing a stark contrast to the recovery of multiple-entry visas.
