China Resumes Visa Waiver for Japanese Nationals, Welcomes First Group in Shanghai on November 30

Dec 2, 2024, 08:19 AM

China has resumed its short-term visa waiver program for Japanese nationals, marking a significant step in facilitating travel between the two nations. The eastern Chinese city of Shanghai welcomed its first group of 26 Japanese nationals under the new visa-free policy on November 30, 2024. According to Shanghai Customs, which made the announcement on December 1, the visitors completed customs formalities within 30 minutes. This development comes as the number of foreign tourists entering China through Shanghai doubled to over 4 million in the first 11 months of 2024 compared to the same period last year. Among these, more than 1.37 million entered visa-free. The move is expected to further boost tourism and economic ties between China and Japan.