Some Chinese tourists allegedly pose as Taiwanese or Japanese via passport covers during Japan trip
Some Chinese tourists are allegedly using Taiwanese and Japanese passport covers during their trip to Japan, purportedly to pose as these nationalities.
On Monday (1 Dec), a Taiwanese expat shared two videos on Threads claiming that certain mainland Chinese travellers were using these covers to appear as Taiwanese or Japanese nationals.
This controversy comes amid strained China–Japan relations, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated in November that Japan may activate its self-defence forces should China launch a military attack on Taiwan, prompting Beijing to advise its citizens against travelling to Japan.
Japanese passport covers sold in China
One of the videos posted on Threads shows a person holding a Taiwanese passport cover while pushing luggage.
Notably, the passport cover is larger than the size of a regular passport.
They then flip the cover open, revealing that it contains a Chinese passport, with a singular Chinese banknote tucked between its pages.
Meanwhile, the second video shows that Japanese-style passport covers are being sold on Taobao for RMB135.24 (S$25), allegedly so tourists can pose as Japanese citizens during their trips.
Source: @sues_countrycottage on Threads
Taiwanese and Japanese netizens criticise use of passport covers
The post drew criticism from Taiwanese and Japanese netizens, targeting Chinese tourists who use these passport covers.
Some questioned whether these tourists were not proud of their citizenship, while others accused them of wanting to be of either nationality.
Translation: Don’t you have any pride to put on a cover of a country you hate?
Source: Threads
Several users also expressed that they disapproved of this behaviour, saying these tourists are using passport covers depicting countries they supposedly “hate”.
Translation: This behaviour is truly disgusting 🤮 They verbally express hatred towards Taiwan and Japan, yet pretend to be Taiwanese and Japanese 😌
Source: Threads
Also read: Ex-NCMP Calvin Cheng urges S’poreans to put country first amid China backlash over PM Wong’s remarks
Ex-NCMP Calvin Cheng urges S’poreans to put country first amid China backlash over PM Wong’s remarks
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Featured image adapted from @sues_countrycottage on Threads.
