Chinese Firm Cancels Cruise Tours to Japan amid Tensions

Tokyo, Dec. 3 (Jiji Press)–A Chinese cruise operator has canceled its tours to Japan scheduled from late December to late January next year, apparently due to rising tensions between the two East Asian countries. An agent in Japan was notified of the cancellations in November, a source familiar with the situation said Tuesday. Japan-China relations are deteriorating, as evidenced by the Chinese government’s call for the country’s citizens to refrain from travel to Japan. China’s Adora Cruises had planned to offer cruise ship tours including two visits to Ishigaki Port in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan, and six visits to Nagasaki Port in the southwestern prefecture of Nagasaki during the period of about one month from late December, according to the source. Last month, the company canceled plans for its cruise ship to dock and disembark passengers at Miyako Island in Okinawa. Adora Cruises plans to increase tours to South Korea and Southeast Asia, instead of voyages to Japan. “Only cruise ship tours of Chinese companies have been canceled, which is extremely unusual,” the source said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]