A Chinese cruise operator has canceled tours to Japan scheduled from late December to late January amid rising tensions between the two countries. The affected itineraries included stops at Ishigaki Port in Okinawa Prefecture and Nagasaki Port in Nagasaki Prefecture. Adora Cruises notified a Japanese agent in November and plans to boost tours to South Korea and Southeast Asia instead.
China's Adora Cruises has canceled its cruise tours to Japan planned for late December through late January, amid deteriorating bilateral relations. The itineraries were set to include two visits to Ishigaki Port in Okinawa Prefecture and six to Nagasaki Port in Nagasaki Prefecture over about one month. A source familiar with the matter said a Japanese agent was informed of the cancellations in November.
Last month, the company also scrapped plans for its cruise ship to dock and allow passenger disembarkation at Miyako Island in Okinawa. The Chinese government has urged its citizens to avoid travel to Japan due to the escalating tensions. This has led to disruptions in tourism exchanges between the two nations.
In response, Adora Cruises intends to expand tours to South Korea and Southeast Asia in place of the Japan voyages. The source noted, “Only cruise ship tours of Chinese companies have been canceled, which is extremely unusual.” This episode highlights how political strains are affecting economic and tourism ties between China and Japan.