A state-owned Chinese travel agency had recently resumed offering group tours to Japan starting with departures from July.

It was accepting reservations online for a six-night, seven-day trip to destinations including Tokyo and Osaka but abruptly suspended the product on the evening of June 19.

The website showed an icon that indicates sales had concluded.

As of June 18, multiple people had booked spots for the tours in July and August, but those trips may now be canceled.

A Japanese government source suggested the Chinese government may have hastily tightened it controls on travel agencies after public reaction spread following media reports about the tour resumptions.

Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's remarks last November regarding a potential Taiwan contingency prompted China to effectively ban group tours to Japan, but the move appeared to have eased ahead of the summer vacation season.