Japan tourism faces US$1.2b hit as trip cancellations spike on China rift

TOKYO – Japan could lose out on as much as US$1.2 billion (S$1.6 billion) in visitor spending between now and the end of the year as would-be travellers from China cancel their trips due to a worsening diplomatic spat. Around 30 per cent of the 1.44 million trips to Japan from China planned through the end of December have been cancelled since Beijing advised citizens to avoid traveling to their Asian neighbour, according to figures from China Trading Desk. Roughly 70 per cent of the drop comes from near-term departures being cancelled or delayed, while new bookings haven’t materialised, according…