The Diplomat magazine recently published an article, putting forward a bold hypothesis:
China and Japan, in their ongoing negotiations for enhanced cooperation, might explore the possibility of Japan offering a visa-free scheme for Chinese visitors to Okinawa Island.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese citizens could visit China without a visa. In fact, the 2019 National Tourism Consumption Report highlighted that Japan had become the largest source of inbound tourists to China in 2019.
However, since March 2020, this one-sided visa-free policy has been suspended and has not yet been reinstated.
Tetsuro Homma, president of the Japan Chamber of Commerce in China, said in 2023 that the biggest obstacle to economic exchanges between Japan and China is the visa issue, and they seek opportunities to resolve it whenever possible.
From China’s perspective, the stance on visa-free travel is clear:
The reinstatement of visa-free travel is contingent on reciprocity – Japan must also allow visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, even if only partially.
