The latest move by Beijing may indicate it’s trying to improve ties with neighbouring countries like Japan before US President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

China will restart visa-free entry for Japanese nationals to facilitate business and tourism, responding to a longstanding request from Tokyo as both countries seek to shore up ties. 

The policy will take effect on Nov 30 and also covers Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia and Latvia, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beijing added it will extend the length of stay for all nations under the 15-day visa-free program to 30 days.

The relaxation comes as Beijing announced measures to support foreign trade on Thursday, including by expanding its visa-free policies to facilitate inbound business travel. For Japan, this will restore the visa exemption arrangement that was halted in 2020 amid the Covid pandemic.

Since reopening its borders after the pandemic, China has scrapped visa requirements for dozens of countries to revive its tourism industry, which suffered during nearly three years of closures, and to improve its image. 

The latest move by Beijing may indicate it’s trying to improve ties with neighbouring countries like Japan before US President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Japan is a US security ally but also has a strong economic relationship with China, both as a foreign investor and important trade partner. 

President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to strengthen communication at all levels during their meeting this month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Peru. 

Japan’s top government spokesman welcomed the decision, saying at a regular press conference that Tokyo had been seeking the removal of visa restrictions. “I hope this will lead to a further improvement in relations between Japan and China,” chief Cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday.

Still, tensions remain over issues including security, geopolitics and the recent death of a Japanese schoolboy who was stabbed in Shenzhen. A survey released this week shows Japanese firms in China becoming more pessimistic about the world’s No. 2 economy, with nearly half cutting or halting their investments.