BEIJING, Jan 26 (Reuters) - China on Monday warned its citizens against travelling to Japan during the Lunar New Year, its longest public holiday, as Beijing's anger over a comment Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made in early November about democratically governed Taiwan showed no signs of abating.

China warned its citizens on Monday against travelling to Japan during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, citing deteriorating public security, with Tokyo and Beijing locked in a diplomatic spat.

Japan underlined their dominance in Asian youth football with a commanding victory over China in the U23 Asian Cup final, defending their continental title and becoming the first team to win the tournament three times.

Japan has ramped up its security cooperation with the Philippines in other ways, too, steadily donating vessels and other equipment to the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy for years. There are now discussions that the navy could also acquire secondhand warships and air defense missiles from Japan.

Beijing warns citizens against visiting ahead of Lunar New Year holiday as airlines extend deadline for refunds or flight changes.

The number of Chinese visitors to Japan plummeted by 45% last month from a year earlier, to around 330,000, as a result of the spat.

The number of Chinese visitors to Japan plummeted by 45 per cent last month from a year earlier, to around 330,000.

Japan tourism hits record despite  downfall from China during 2025 Japan witnessed a sharp decline in visitors from China in December, with arrivals