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Japanese views of China becoming more positive

According to the Yomiuri:

According to the survey conducted jointly by The Yomiuri Shimbun and a weekly magazine published by the official Xinhua News Agency, 45 percent of Japanese say the bilateral ties are good compared with 50 percent saying so in China.

Meanwhile, 47 percent of the Japanese respondents and 43 percent of the Chinese said the relationship was bad, according to the survey.

However, the percentage of the Japanese respondents who viewed the bilateral ties positively increased by nine percentage points from 36 percent in the previous survey conducted in July 2008.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has launched an international PR campaign to improve the image of “Made in China” products. I haven’t seen any of their commercials on Japanese TV yet, but they are apparently targeting Asian markets through ads on channels like CNN. Here is an example [via China Smack]:

Seeing as Japanese tend to have negative views of the quality and safety of products from China, airing this ad on normal Japanese TV networks might be a good idea.

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23 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - December 10, 2009 at 9:48 am

Categories: General Japan Tags:

ij487i

Thanks, James. It’s always hopeful to see poll results that show improving relations, however tenuous or short-lived such feelings may be. Not to spoil the good mood, or question the sincerity of the Japanese people, but I have reservations about the data, and think an anonymous poll would have produced a more realistic result (instead of face-to-face). Of course, I’d like to believe that positive feelings are indeed on the rise, but somehow this doesn’t seem to correlate with what I have experienced personally and through communicating with Japanese on the web. I won’t talk about my personal experiences, because others will likely bring up equally valid positive experiences as counterexamples. So let me focus on the internet.

Despite the fact that idiots populate the internet and that it’s not a perfect representation of any country, at the same time we all know that the anonymity of sites like 2ch and Youtube give people free rein for voicing their grievances, justified or otherwise, that they would not express in real life. In other words, people write stuff on the internet for kicks, but there are also a lot of honest opinions as well. And with honesty and anonymity comes a lot of accepted racism.

Sure, I see tons of racists on youtube (Worldwide site), but when someone makes a racist jab there are usually other people who respond with counter arguments or reprimand the offender–meaning, that a broad spectrum of society is represented in the comments. However, look at videos in the News and Politics section on Youtube (Japan site), and I guarantee that the highest rated comments are those that support the views of right wing extremists. Even non-political videos marginally related to their Asian neighbors (as long as they have “中国” or “韓国” in the title) are full of highly rated comments that are either racist statements or assumptions that the very few commenters who protest such remarks must be “zainichi” or “koreans in disguise.”

I guess my burning question is:
If 45 percent of Japanese truly have positive views, why are these Japanese conspicuously silent on the web?
(Does the web not accurately represent Japanese society as it does other societies?)

My own view: without implying that the majority of Japanese harbor mindless antipathy toward Chinese and Koreans (which I don’t believe and don’t want to believe), the only plausible explanation why extremists are grossly overrepresented on sites like 2ch and China/SK related vids on Youtube that I can think of is that ordinary open-minded Japanese avoid these sites like the plague, for some reason- that somehow, the more sensible opinions are being left out by personal choice.

Of course, no one is expecting them to say “I love Korea or China,” but its a bit discouraging that no one is speaking out against unwarranted racist comments. (I use racist for lack of a better term; “ethnicist” would probably be more accurate.)

By the way, I’m not trying to bash on Japan, this is just something i’ve observed and felt it necessary to respond to this article. And yes, I know full well that Korean and Chinese netizens are guilty of the same thing. But my point is that Japanese net-bashing is different in the lack of counter-arguments to offensive remarks and its basis in racial (rather than historical) issues. Again, I didn’t raise those negative examples to unfairly portray or whine about Japan; just to provide some evidence for my points. I’m just curious as to whether anyone else who has observed this phenomenon has a good answer to my questions. Sorry for the long post.

Sen

Based on my observations, the counter-comments to the racism you see on Youtube ‘International’ are by and large made by the targeted ethnicity (who are also fairly large in number and very capable of speaking english). It’s unlikely for Japanese Youtube videos or websites to possess this same ‘trait’; the zainichi koreans are lacking in number and the vast majority of Chinese don’t comprehend or speak Japanese. I can almost guarantee you that a website made only of highly anonymous white netizens of the 15-25 age group would have little counter-comments against racist ones. I visit a couple gossip websites every once in a while (it’s entertaining sometimes, so sue me), and the volume of racist comments (every time there’s an entry on a black entertainer, for example) are staggering — with few making counter comments, and the ones that do, from looking at the prose, are very clearly members of the targeted ethnicity. Hope this comment shed some light on your questions.

PewPew

And you point is…………….?

That there is racism in the world? Shocker! Horror!

I, for one, would rather stretch out my hand to the good people and work towards a better, brighter future; however, there are those people, to whom my hand stretches, who have pre-conceibed notion and built-in prejudice just by seeing my face, my skin color and my mode of dress that there is nothing you can do to sway them in any way whatsoever to lay down their bigotry and move forward by making new friends and forgiving the nastiness of the past. No, do not forget, as forgetting would mean repeating the same mistake over and over, but forgive – each other.

That is the only hope I have.

Sen

“And you point is…………….?”

“Hope this comment shed some light on your questions.”

Reading comprehension is lacking these days.
RockNRolla

“Reading comprehension is lacking these days.”

You obviously don’t get sarcasm, mate.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

If 45 percent of Japanese truly have positive views, why are these Japanese conspicuously silent on the web?

The 45% may have a positive view of Sino-Japanese relations, but that doesn’t mean they’re obsessed enough about the issue to register an account on a foreign video sharing site like YouTube so they can argue with people.

Anti-Chinese Japanese netizens hang out on YouTube and 2-channel because they are frustrated and angry about their views being largely ignored by the mainstream media. They gladly spend their free time posting videos on the comments on the net.

ij487i

“The 45% may have a positive view of Sino-Japanese relations, but that doesn’t mean they’re obsessed enough about the issue to register an account on a foreign video sharing site like YouTube so they can argue with people.”

True, probably no one would be obsessed enough to join on Youtube just to comment about historical issues (of the 45%), but that’s assuming that many don’t have accounts already, which is unlikely. I was referring to the many users who are already registered. Despite the fact that Youtube is technically a foreign video site, it enjoys enormous popularity in Japan, and the local site is obviously in Japanese, so I don’t think people would be going out of their way to leave comments there. I’m not saying they should, just that I would expect to see their opinions more often. Or maybe I’m just looking in the wrong place.

“Anti-Chinese Japanese netizens hang out on YouTube and 2-channel because they are frustrated and angry about their views being largely ignored by the mainstream media.”

Makes sense, but I would contend that their views are hardly absent from the mainstream media.

fg

You must be talking about “Net Uyoku” right?

I first started noticing those types of right-wing netizens who are not afraid to show their racist attitude towards other East Asian nationalities on the internet, when the LDP started to show real inability to take political control over Japan. That was like since Koizumi left office. It peaked with the election last August and with the power change, I think they are gradually diminishing.

Japanese netizens who counter argue Net Uyoku are not non-existent. There are tons of battles going on, on many notable Japanese blogs, but you’re right that on 2ch and Youtube the counter argument seems weak.

As you say, most people tend to think stupidity is infectious. Don’t hang out too much or you’ll become like them.

ij487i

Yeah, I know I’m wasting my time trying to have a civil debate with these people online, but sometimes I get the feeling that this kind of extreme nationalism and ignorance is on the rise, and that I have to say something. Of course, the causes stem from political and historical issues in East Asia that I can’t really do much about on an individual level, but hopefully you’re right that things will get better.

And don’t worry, I haven’t been infected. Yet. =)

japanobserver

Understand your point, but look at it from the other side. Koreans and Chinese are equally, if not even more vicious than Japanese netizens. Deluded as all of them are (the racist ones), I find that Japanese right wing fanatic often use some kind of bits and pieces of statistics and facts (even if totally not factually correct) and try to solidify their viewpoints. On the other hand, Koreans and Chinese netizens mostly go on about how they were victimized by the jokbari and japs who deserved to be raped and killed. If I may not recall, a Chinese netizen wrote that the Holocaust was appropriate “final solution” for Japan and another wrote how it is fate that 45% of Japan would contain Chinese blood once the rapes were done in the upcoming invasion by the 100 million strong Chinese army. Don’t get me wrong all this garbage is pretty ugly so I bet many people simply stopped going to controversial sites so the only remaining voices of reason are either ignored or stamped out by the angry people. Check up on China smack, the norm of Chinese blogs is to find ways to insult Japan and Korea in whatever way possible. It really is a vicious cycle and as fg wrote, “stupidity is infectious.”
k9

you want japanese to make counter arguments to the 2ch and youtube freaks? no way, its waste of time and like persuading al-qaeda into converting to christian. also, i guess that specific menbers are repeatedly posting insult comments at there in the first place.

however, the bad cycle might have happened.

1.) Race A is racist against Race B.
2.) Race B bitches about racism.
3.) Race A’s children eventually stop being racist against Race B.
4.) Race B continues to bitch about how Race A shouldn’t just forget about racism
5.) The children of Race A are called racist so many times, even though they aren’t, that they get pissed at Race B.
6.) Go to Step 1.
(cite this from some reader’s comment)

Montsan

Maybe I’m showing my ignorance on the topic but my general opinion of products made in China would be significantly higher if the quality of the products were more reliable. Yes, the majority of Chinese-made products are just fine but it certainly seems like their industry standards could be more stringent and enforced.

To be fair, we here in the U.S. are not without our major problems either.
http://www.pastatech.wordpress.com Raymond

Considering that Japanese uses Chinese kanji, I don’t know why there is so much backlash toward Chinese.

Unless of course we are talking about China’s overall image.

Great article.
unknown

Japanese are more negative against Koreans/ North Koreans than Chinese. Their negativity against China are mostly due to news about Chinese products, illegal copies and no copyright protection, China’s view on Yasukuni and the number in Nanjing massacre and mostly on Communism in China. traditional Chinese culture like instrument and movies (for example Red Cliff) enjoy very high popularity in Japan
PewPew

That pie chart seems fairly well balanced, doesn’t it?

I mean if we did similar surveys in Europe or the US, I think we would find it about the same? For example, if we asked Britons what they thought of France or Germany? Or Americans about Mexico or Cuba? Curious……
ProudAmerican

The Japanese have copied 70-80% of their (traditional) culture from China. So i think that China has today the right to copy the Japanese (Inventions & products).
But yes, the quality could be much better.

jcu

Japanese culture may have been based on Chinese ideas but the result was still very different, rather than simple rips of products. But China is getting there, ‘American’…
helical

So are you saying you equate importing of culture and abstract ideas like philosophy, art styles, laws, and writing systems, with the stealing of hard-earned engineering knowledge and source codes, selling low quality fake knock-offs piggy-back riding on the brand images of others, and pirating software?

Those are two very different kinds of “copying”.
Weirdo

The Americans have copies 99.99%-100% of their culture from the rest of the world. So I think that the rest of the world has today the right to copy the American (inventions & products).

VGS

70-80% of their culture? How do you measure the “amount of cultures”?
ponta

a related topic

“Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents who expressed a friendly response toward South Korea rose 6 points to 63.1 percent, while the percentage of those who felt that Japan and South Korea are on good terms increased 17 points to 66.5 percent. Both figures marked record highs.”

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20091213a3.html
samuel welsh

speak to your own ass.
loss of jobs in truth
中

As chinese myself i don’t hate japanese people.i know they done some unhuman thing to china, korea and other asian country but it their government fault that time not the people.I grow up watching japanese anime and i love it.i visited tokyo it was fun and the people is nice, i can’t understand why we must go hating each other.

Japanese views of China becoming more positive

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