Beijing: The Chinese government said Thursday that it will lift a ban on group tours to such countries including Japan, South Korea and the United States within the day.

China began suspending overseas group tours in January 2020 due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. Since February this year, the ban had been lifted for a total of 60 countries, but not for Japan.

Beijing apparently hopes to add momentum to efforts to improve relations with Japan ahead of the 45th anniversary of the conclusion of the Japan-China peace and friendship treaty Saturday.

“The Japanese government will continue working to promote exchanges of the people of the two countries,” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki told a news conference in Tokyo.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 9.59 million Chinese people visited Japan in 2019 before the pandemic, accounting for about 30 pct of all foreign visitors to Japan.

“We’re pleased about a resumption of people-to-people exchanges” between the two countries, a senior Japanse Foreign Ministry official said.

JIJI Press