Beijing ¨C China on Monday warned its citizens against traveling to Japan during the Lunar New Year, its longest public holiday, as Beijing¡¯s anger over a comment Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made in early November about democratically governed Taiwan showed no signs of abating.

Citing ¡°a surge in ?crimes targeting Chinese citizens¡± and earthquakes, the Chinese foreign ministry said nationals ¡°face serious ?security threats ?in Japan,¡± according to a statement it released.

Beijing has issued ?similar warnings following Takaichi¡¯s remark in November suggesting that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo. The remark infuriated Beijing, which has responded with export curbs, flight cancellations and vitriolic state media commentaries. Its defense ministry warned ?Tokyo of a ¡°crushing¡± military defeat if it were to use force to intervene over Taiwan.

Major Chinese airlines, including Air China, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines, on Monday extended ?their free-of-charge change and cancellation policies for Japan-related flights until Oct. 24. The airlines first announced the policies in November ?in the wake of ?Takaichi¡¯s remark and then last month extended them until this ?March. The number of Chinese tourists to Japan plunged 45% in ?December, but overall ?tourist numbers to Japan hit a record high, Japan¡¯s tourism minister said last week.

While Takaichi has not retracted her November remark, she has tempered it by reaffirming Japan¡¯s position on China¡¯s ¡°One China¡± policy. She has also said that China¡¯s characterization of her remarks are inconsistent with facts.

At a Jan. 19 news conference to announce a snap election, Takaichi observed that ¡°China has conducted military exercises around Taiwan, and economic coercion is increasingly being used through control of key supply-chain materials.¡± She added that ¡°The ?international ?security environment is becoming more severe.¡±

While warning its nationals to shun trips to Japan, Beijing has been upbeat about a ¡°tourism boom¡± with another ?of its eastern Asian neighbors ¡ª South Korea ¡ª as it seeks to shore up ties with Seoul following the rupture with Tokyo.

Buoyed by visa-free policies, the numbers of South Korean tourists to China and Chinese visitors to South Korea ?have been on the rise.

¡°This two-way tourism boom is a microcosm of the growing economic exchanges and cooperation between China and South Korea,¡± state-run tabloid Global Times said in a editorial published on Sunday.