Hong Kong authorities have urged residents to exercise caution and prioritise personal safety in Japan, citing a rise in attacks against Chinese citizens in the country.

The appeal from the Security Bureau on Saturday was issued a day after Beijing told Chinese citizens to avoid travel to Japan.

“Since mid-2025, there has been an increasing trend of attack incidents against Chinese citizens in Japan,” the bureau’s updated travel alert said.

“The government reminds Hong Kong residents who intend to visit the country or are already there to exercise caution, attend to personal safety, pay attention to local announcements on the latest situation and notices on consular services from the Chinese embassy or consulate-general in Japan.”

China’s foreign ministry issued a warning late on Friday night asking Chinese tourists to avoid travel to Japan, marking an escalation in a row over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s suggestion that Tokyo could deploy its military forces in a cross-strait conflict.

The ministry’s statement said the safety of its citizens in Japan had “continued to deteriorate”, citing a series of targeted attacks this year.