Tourists to Japan hit a record high for the month of December despite the number of visitors from China plunging 45% due to diplomatic tensions between the two Asian neighbours.

Beijing in November urged its citizens not to travel to Japan, seeking to punish Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after she said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a "survival-threatening situation" and trigger a potential military response. China claims sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan. (Reuters)