By Ryosuke Terunuma / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

BEIJING -- China's three major state-owned airline companies announced Monday that they will further extend the period where changes and refunds to bookings on Japan routes can be requested for free until Oct. 24.

This is the second extension made by Air China Ltd., China Eastern Airlines Co. and China Southern Airlines Co. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan is trending downward, and there are concerns that the situation will grow more serious due to the worsening Japan-China relationship.

Following the Chinese government's issuing of an advisory to its citizens to refrain from visiting to Japan, the three companies in November announced measures including offering free refunds until the end of the year. They then extended the period in December, setting a new deadline of March 28.

The latest extension is seen as a measure taken in anticipation that Japan-China tensions -- which emerged following a remark made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Diet regarding a potential Taiwan contingency -- will be prolonged. The impact is expected to cover periods such as China's Labor Day holidays in May and the summer vacation season.

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January 27, 2026 04:20 ET (09:20 GMT)

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