BUSINESS

China’s Adora Cruises Drops All Japan Routes for Early 2026 as Tensions Escalate

Published: Nov. 29, 2025 3:39 a.m. GMT+8

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Adora Cruises Ltd.’s Adora Magic City at Wusongkou port in Shanghai.

Chinese state-backed cruise operator Adora Cruises Ltd. announced Friday it will cancel all Japan-bound itineraries in the first quarter of 2026, after rising tensions between China and Japan.

The company said its two ships, Adora Magic City and Adora Mediterranean, will instead sail to South Korea and Southeast Asia. The Adora Magic City will depart from Shanghai with stops in Jeju, Busan, and Seoul, while the Adora Mediterranean, departing from Guangzhou, will travel to Da Nang, Halong Bay, and Hue in Vietnam, along with longer routes to the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.

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Adora Cruises canceled all Japan-bound trips for Q1 2026 due to China-Japan tensions, rerouting to South Korea and Southeast Asia.
Other Chinese cruise operators and foreign lines continue Japan routes, but some may reconsider; the shift could limit Chinese firms’ competitiveness.
China issued travel warnings for Japan; experts estimate a 50% drop in Chinese tourists could cut Japan’s GDP growth by 0.1–0.2 percentage points.

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Who’s Who

Adora Cruises Ltd.: Adora Cruises Ltd. is a Chinese state-backed cruise operator that has canceled all Japan-bound itineraries for Q1 2026 due to rising tensions between China and Japan. Its two ships, Adora Magic City and Adora Mediterranean, will sail to South Korea and Southeast Asia instead. Adora Cruises is the first Chinese cruise operator to formally drop Japan stops.

Blue Dream Cruises: Blue Dream Cruises is a Chinese cruise operator that manages two mid-size ships. Following rising tensions between China and Japan, the company stated it might revise its December itineraries and could potentially cancel Japan calls.

Cosco Shipping Group: Cosco Shipping Group is a Chinese cruise operator that offers Japan routes. As of the article's publication, they have not announced any changes to their itineraries, and their ships continue to list Japan in their 2026 schedules.

China Tourism Group: China Tourism Group (CTG) has a joint venture with Cosco Shipping Group called Astro Ocean International Cruise Co. Ltd. Unlike Adora Cruises, Astro Ocean International Cruise Co. Ltd. has not announced any changes to its itineraries and continues to list Japan in its 2026 schedules.

Astro Ocean International Cruise Co. Ltd.: Astro Ocean International Cruise Co. Ltd. is a joint venture between Cosco Shipping Group and China Tourism Group. Unlike Adora Cruises, Astro Ocean has not announced any changes to its 2026 itineraries and continues to list Japan as a destination for its cruises, despite rising tensions between China and Japan.

Tianjin Oriental International Cruise Co. Ltd.: Tianjin Oriental International Cruise Co. Ltd. is a Chinese cruise operator that offers Japan routes. As of the article's publication, they have not announced any changes to their schedules, and their ships continue to list Japan in their 2026 itineraries, unlike Adora Cruises Ltd.

MSC: MSC, a foreign cruise line, has kept Japan on its published schedules. Representatives from MSC told Caixin that they currently have no plans to cancel their Japan routes. This is in contrast to Chinese state-backed operator Adora Cruises, which has canceled all Japan-bound itineraries in the first quarter of 2026.

Royal Caribbean Group: Royal Caribbean Group, a foreign cruise line, has kept Japan on its published schedules for its ship Spectrum of the Seas. Representatives from the company told Caixin they currently have no plans to cancel their Japan routes, despite rising tensions between China and Japan.

Air China Ltd.: Air China Ltd. is a major Chinese airline. Following China's travel advisories related to Japan, Air China, along with other major Chinese airlines, offered free ticket refunds after canceling numerous Japan-bound flights.

China Eastern Airlines Corp. Ltd.: China Eastern Airlines Corp. Ltd. is a major Chinese airline. Amid rising tensions between China and Japan, the airline offered free ticket refunds for hundreds of its Japan-bound flights that were canceled. This action followed China's travel advisories urging citizens to avoid travel to Japan.

Goldman Sachs: Economists at Goldman Sachs, Tomohiro Ota and Yuriko Tanaka, have warned that a 50% decrease in tourist arrivals from mainland China and Hong Kong could reduce Japan's GDP growth by 0.2 percentage points. However, an increase in tourism from other regions might narrow this net impact to approximately 0.1 percentage points.

Fitch: Fitch's BMI research unit stated that Japan will find it difficult to replace high-spending Chinese tourists, with duty-free shops and major department stores facing the hardest impact. While demand from other regions might partially fill the gap, Japan's retail recovery could remain incomplete.

BMI research: Fitch's BMI research unit predicts that Japan will struggle to replace high-spending Chinese tourists, with duty-free shops and major department stores being the hardest hit. Although demand from other regions may fill some of the gap, Japan's retail recovery may remain incomplete.

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What Happened When

Nov. 14, 2025：: China’s Foreign Ministry urged citizens to avoid travel to Japan.

Nov. 16, 2025：: China’s Foreign Ministry advised citizens to reconsider study abroad plans in Japan.

After Nov. 16, 2025：: Major Chinese airlines, including Air China and China Eastern Airlines, offered free ticket refunds after canceling hundreds of Japan-bound flights, and many tour agencies pulled Japan group packages.

Nov. 29, 2025：: Adora Cruises Ltd. announced cancellation of all Japan-bound itineraries in the first quarter of 2026, redirecting ships to South Korea and Southeast Asia.

Nov. 29, 2025：: A planned concert by Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki in Shanghai on Nov. 29, 2025 was canceled, with ticket refunds already begun.

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