The furor over a major Japanese hotel chain's decision to place a book denying the 1937 Nanking Massacre in its rooms is rattling the tourism industry as the money-making Lunar New Year holidays get underway.

The book, written by the head of the Apa hotel chain, is causing a backlash that could lead to broader international rejection of Japan and the loss of the Chinese tourists behind Japan's tourism boom.

The Chinese government is asking citizens to boycott the hotel chain and Chinese media coverage of the uproar shows no signs of ebbing.