40% of Japan tourism companies see no China rebound until 2024: poll

Weak Chinese economy, too few flights blamed for slow post-COVID recovery

Chinese tourists take a photo in front of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Visitors from China are down more than 80% from pre-COVID numbers this year. © Reuters

JUNYA HEMMI, Nikkei staff writer

September 21, 2023 04:40 JST

TOKYO -- More than 40% of travel and leisure companies surveyed by Nikkei do not expect Chinese visitors to Japan to return to pre-coronavirus levels until at least next year, as a cooling economy and lack of flights offset the revival of group tours.