Japan issues fewer visas to Chinese  

(ECNS) -- Japan has issued fewer visas to Chinese citizens after Japan "nationalized" China's Diaoyu Islands, according to a report on www.jnocnews.jp.

The report said Japan issued more than 1.98 million visas to foreigners in the past year, an increase of 46.7 percent from 2011. The majority, 56 percent, was issued to Chinese, since citizens of the United States, South Korea, and European nations don't need a visa to enter Japan under certain circumstance.

From January to August of last year, the loosening of tourist visa restrictions for Japan doubled the number of visas granted to individual Chinese tourists, from the same period in 2011. Some month even saw a tenfold increase.

But the number of visas issued to Chinese citizens fell abruptly in September, even lower than the same period in 2011, after the Japanese government decided to "purchase" part of China's Diaoyu Islands.

Since October, the number was only half of the same period in 2011.

The ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan said multiple factors led to the drop, including the tension between the two countries. Japan has issued multiple-entry visas to individual Chinese tourists going to Okinawa, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, and their return visits are welcome, it said.