Post World War II Anti-Chinese sentiment in Japan

unfavorable views of people s republic of china (2009)

negative views of china strong in japan, germany, , france.



police officers monitor anti-chinese protests in front of chinese embassy in tokyo, japan during 2012 senkaku islands dispute.

following end of world war ii, openly sinophobic sentiments stifled , became taboo in mainstream media, though japan , people s republic of china took opposite sides in cold war. except in handful of cases, such japanese name south china sea , alternative term ramen, use of word shina (支那; china) disappeared.

there little contact between japan , people s republic of china in ensuing decades. there little discussion of china until relationship between countries normalised in 1972, when there surge of interest in japan neighbour. china renounced reparations second world war, partly avoid appearing less generous taiwan—which had earlier done same—and strengthen position against soviet union. response considerable gratitude , goodwill in japan. sinophobia confined context of fear of communism. public animosity toward people s republic of china minimal compared public animosity held against soviet union, , friendly mood prevailed. improvements seen in social attitudes toward ethnic chinese residents of japan, along other minorities such zainichi koreans , ainu people.

however, since 2000, japan has seen gradual resurgence of anti-chinese sentiments. xenophobic sentiments coupled effects of increasingly tense political relationship between japan , people s republic of china. many japanese believe china using issue of countries checkered history, such japanese history textbook controversies , official visits yasukuni shrine, both diplomatic card , make japan scapegoat in domestic politics. anti-japanese riots in spring of 2005 caused more fear of china within japanese public. anti-chinese sentiments in japan have been on sharp rise since 2002. according pew global attitude project (2008), unfavorable view of china 84%, unfavorable view of chinese people 73%.