Tag: Japan

From everything I have been reading the Japanese are actually happy about the reduction in Chinse tourists and the Koreans seem to be happy to have them, so a win-win for everyone:

Tang and his family were among the influx of Chinese tourists who visited Korea during the holiday period, which began on Feb. 15 and ended on Monday.

Beijing and Tokyo have been embroiled in a diplomatic dispute since November, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that Tokyo could respond militarily to a potential attack on Taiwan. In response, Beijing has advised citizens to avoid traveling to Japan.

Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism estimated that up to 190,000 Chinese tourists visited the country during the nine-day holiday period. The daily average was 44 percent higher than during last year’s holiday window, which ran from Jan. 24 to 29.

The fresh wave of Chinese tourists brought rare optimism to Korea’s retail and tourism sectors, which have been dampened by a consumption slowdown.

In the weeks leading up to the holiday, retailers and tourism operators rolled out intensive marketing campaigns tailored to Chinese tourists, including discounts and gift vouchers linked to Chinese payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay.

Chinese tourists have traditionally been big spenders, according to Korean tourism industry officials. The most recent government data shows that the average spending per Chinese visitor to Korea reached $1,622 in 2024, compared with the overall foreign visitor average of $1,372.

Even the Korean government has been pulling out all the stops to encourage more spending by Chinese group tourists. On Feb. 15, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young visited Myeong-dong, one of Seoul’s main shopping and tourism districts, to inspect facilities for foreign visitors, and called for efforts to foster a more welcoming atmosphere.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

These two Marines stationed in Japan were are walking crime spree between Hiroshima and Tokyo:

Japanese authorities are investigating two U.S. Marines for possible thefts totaling $65,000 or more since last fall, according to Japanese police and media reports recently. Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Friday forwarded to Japanese prosecutors their case against two Marines, ages 20 and 26, for stealing 27,000 yen, or $175, in cash from two restaurants in Kabukicho, a nightlife district near Shinjuku, between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Dec. 24, The Mainichi newspaper reported Friday.

The newspaper cited the police as a source, although a Tokyo police spokeswoman declined to confirm the report by phone for Stars and Stripes on Tuesday.  The Marines may be linked to multiple thefts last fall with losses exceeding $65,000, The Mainichi reported, citing an unnamed investigative source. Two Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and under suspicion by Japanese authorities of “criminal misconduct” are in Marine Corps custody, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing spokesman Maj. Joseph Butterfield said by email Tuesday.

Stars and Stripes

You can read more at the link.

The Chinese may be doing the Japanese a favor because no military should be using any Chinese components that could have backdoors built into them to impact military operations:

China on Tuesday banned exports of dual-use goods that can serve military purposes to Japan, a move that comes at time of heightened tensions between the two countries over Taiwan, a self-ruled island Beijing claims as its sovereign territory. The Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement that exports of such items, which can serve both civilian and military purposes, to Japanese military users and all other end-users that could help enhance Japanese military power are prohibited.

Any individual or organization that violates the rule by transferring or providing these made-in-China products to Japanese groups and people would face legal consequences, regardless of where they are from, it said. The notice did not identify or describe specific items, but some exports — particularly in the technology sector such as drones and navigation systems — could be adapted for military use.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.