Politics Eased Chinese tourist visa rules spark outrage among LDP conservatives

[thomas]

These days, the conservative dreg of the LDP must be fuming over quite a few issues.

Conservative members of the LDP are furious over PM Ishiba's overly aggressive push to strengthen ties with China. The recent easing of tourist visa requirements for Chinese visitors has fueled their frustration. During his late-December trip to Beijing, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced a new visa for wealthy Chinese travellers. The visa grants unlimited entries to Japan over 10 years, with each stay capped at 90 days. The move drew sharp criticism from conservative LDP factions, while social media buzzed with fears of an overwhelming influx of Chinese tourists and potential threats to public safety.

Japanese FM Iwaya Takeshi with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi ​

For its part, China has been reaching out to Japan because it wants a stable relationship, knowing that the United States under President Donald Trump will ratchet up its confrontational stance toward it. One conservative LDP member said, "The Ishiba administration is being too rash in improving ties with China. The visa conditions should have been relaxed after solidifying the relationship with the United States." Among the other rules eased is one related to a tourist visa allowing numerous entries over three years. In the past, one requirement was that the Chinese applicant had to have visited Japan twice in three years. The new requirement is two visits over five years, excluding when all visitors were banned due to COVID-19. Iwaya has raised the ire of conservative LDP lawmakers because of a comment he made shortly after becoming foreign minister last year. He said Japanese diplomacy could not be conducted if comments were made that were hateful toward China and South Korea.

Relaxed Chinese tourist visa rules enrage LDP conservatives | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis