More than 3,400 people cancel bookings for trips to China (Kyodo News International, Tokyo)

More than 3,400 Japanese people have canceled tours to China since recent violent anti-Japan protests in that country, according to data from eight major travel agencies compiled Thursday.

JTB Corp., Japan's largest travel agency, said its cancellations totaled 590 as of Tuesday.

Tokyu Tourist Corp. said that although it had received reservations from about 4,000 people for trips to China in April and May, about 1,000 of them have canceled their orders.

New bookings of tours to China are also decreasing sharply. In the week through Wednesday, for example, Jalpak Co. received 60 percent fewer reservations than usual.

Tours to China have been in strong demand over the past few years as they no longer require visas while major airlines have increased flights to China.

JTB earlier forecast that a record 95,000 Japanese tourists would visit China during this year's long Golden Week holidays in Japan from late April to early May.

But in view of accelerating cancellations, the number of tourists to China appears likely to fall short of the projection.

Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways and 11 Japanese domestic airlines have received cancellations of some 5,000 bookings of flights from Japan to China during the Golden Week period.

Source: Kyodo News International, TokyoKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News