Why Japan is anxious about being bullied by China

• Source: The Global Times
• [20:51 May 12 2009]
• Comments

By Liu Di

Japan's view of China is currently in a delicate transition. It seems more and more difficult for Japan to consider itself a great power if compared with rapidly developing China.

As former Japanese Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro recently put it: “Japan is getting weak, while China becomes powerful. But Japan is still a great power, so we must deal with Sino-Japanese relations as relations between great powers. Otherwise, Japan will be overwhelmed by a concept of great China and weak Japan.” A “don't be bullied by China” sentiment has a history in Japan that started in the early 20th century, which became an excuse for Japan to invade China eventually.

Such sentiment is popular among Japanese nationalists, who criticize their government's so-called “kowtow diplomacy” and over-concern for Chinese viewpoints.

Negative media reports are a major cause of anti-Chinese sentiment in Japan. Japanese media frequently run stories with headlines like “Chinese submarines violating Japanese territorial waters,” “Toxic foods exported to Japan,” and “Chinese committing crimes in Japan.”

Today, the sentiment is on the rise again in Japan, where some Japanese fear that an increasingly powerful China will eventually attempt to annex Japan, which is experiencing slow growth.

Recently, the Japanese government made repeated mention of China's decision to dispatch naval vessels to combat Somali pirates as Japan considered similar action, showing that Japan takes China's moves seriously. Coupled with ignorance among the Japanese media and public about China's national objectives and foreign policy, this could explain the anti-Chinese sentiment.

Japan's anxiety will be relieved gradually if China can better explain its aims in development. At the same time, the Japanese need to change their mindsets and find ways to keep a peaceful and friendly relationship with China.

Rather than keeping each other at arm's length or withdrawing, more positive arrangements for future Sino-Japanese relations should be adopted. These should start with getting a better idea of what each side is thinking.

The author is an associate professor of Kyorin University in Japan. This article was translated by Wang Yuan