Japan-China Passenger Ferry Services Halted

Beijing, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)--The operator of the international ferry Jian Zhen Hao linking Shanghai with the western Japan cities of Kobe and Osaka said it has suspended passenger services on the vessel.

The operator, Japan-China International Ferry Co., said Monday the suspension follows a request from the Chinese side, which told the company that the safety of travel between the two countries could not be ensured.

The move apparently comes in response to Beijing, angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remarks about a possible Taiwan contingency, urging its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.

Ferry services on the route began in 1985 to facilitate travel between Japan and China. The current Jian Zhen Hao, a newly built vessel that entered service in June 2024, had just started in June 2025 the first passenger services on the route in five and a half years following a suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

END

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]