Russia and China have regularly dispatched forces to waters and airspace around Japanese territory.

This includes 113 affected flights between Beijing and Osaka, as well as 13 flights between Shenzhen and Hokkaido.

ISHIGAKI, Japan, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Hitoshi Nakama, 76, sees himself as a frontline defender of Japan's claims to disputed islands in the East China Sea, where he regularly evades Chinese coast guard ships to harvest the bountiful waters.

A week in which longtime tensions between neighbors China and Japan ratcheted up economically and politically is drawing to a close with no sign of improvements.

All scheduled flights on 49 air routes between China and Japan have been cancelled for February, flight data showed on Jan 26, as Chinese airlines extended special ticket change and refund policies for Japan-related travel.

Japan underlined their dominance in Asian youth football with a commanding victory over China in the U23 Asian Cup final, defending their continental title and becoming the first team to win the tournament three times.

Japan has ramped up its security cooperation with the Philippines in other ways, too, steadily donating vessels and other equipment to the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy for years. There are now discussions that the navy could also acquire secondhand warships and air defense missiles from Japan.

Japan tourism hits record despite  downfall from China during 2025 Japan witnessed a sharp decline in visitors from China in December, with arrivals