T-Salon

A look at Japanese people's reaction to last weekend's anti-Japan protests in Beijing and the rest of the country.

Asahi Shinbun Editorial, via China Digital Times:"Why didn't the Chinese authorities do something?"

Increasingly anti-Japan demonstrations in China have sent bilateral ties to their lowest ebb since diplomatic relations were normalized in 1972.

[...]

Anti-China and Sinophobic sentiment in general will likely grow in Japan if such violent anti-Japanese demonstrations continue. Similar turmoil erupted at the Asian Cup soccer games in China last year. As it happens, only a handful of demonstrators actually took part in throwing stones. Most of the participants, even if they do harbor anti-Japanese feelings, would not have thought of resorting to violence.

As for how Japanese perceive history, a major issue for the Chinese people, many Japanese think seriously about it and are trying to address opinions voiced by neighboring countries. Further acts of violence will serve only to dampen sensible opinion in both countries. In fact, it could become overwhelmed by antagonistic emotions.

We wish to address the governments of the two countries: even though nationalism of one country often clashes with that of another, it is the role of governments to devise ways to prevent emotions from getting out of control.

In recent days, all the two governments have done is to simply state their positions regarding the issues including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine or China's development of oil resources in the East China Sea. Some even go so far as to say, ``Let the issue take its own course.''

They may think a crisis in bilateral relations will somehow be averted at the last moment. But popular sentiment of the two countries, once hurt, cannot be repaired.

Via BBC News:

Mainichi Shimbun, Japan's third-largest daily, thinks the Chinese protestors stand to lose more than they will gain. "Although it is true that the Japanese should not forget the historical grounds for the Chinese anti-Japan sentiment, the Chinese people need to understand that irrational anti-Japan activities will damage the interests of their own country."

The Sankei Shimbun daily says the violence against Japanese firms and individuals is "unforgivable". Japan is not the only one to blame

Tokyo Shimbun. If the demonstrations escalate, the paper continues, it will deepen an emotional conflict and damage the interests of the two nations.

BBC has more editorial comments from China's and Hong Kong's press.

"SCMP reports many Japanese citizens in China are preparing to leave if things turn for the worse," notes Simon, who maintains a comphrehensive tracking on the protest and its aftermath.

The people's reaction in Japan, according to Japanese blogger kamonegi55:

"Japanese Government declared "Strong "Ikan" (regrettably)" for riot of this China. However, chairman Okuda of the union of Japanese economy declared, "Such a reaction is momentary". And, he is taking an optimistic view to China of the future.

In the maximum bulletin board "2chanel" in Japan, disappointment and the jeer are more than anger compared with China.

The reason why the concern for China is low is that provocation to Japan by the South Korea government and President of South Korea makes the Japanese angry.

Many of Japanese regret the war against China. China is considered for that. However, South Korea is not fighting against Japan. However, the South Korean behaves like the war victim and the victorious country

A lot of Japanese know this riot to be a diplomatic policy of a Chinese government. However, the South Korea government insults Japan by the justice of original South Korea like not a diplomatic policy but the cult religion.

Of course, this opinion is an opinion in a Japanese standpoint. An important thing is to discuss as the opinion of China and South Korea.

Perhaps, the country person of Chinese In Japan lives will not receive damage by this riot. The Japanese is interested in the shop of a Chinese cuisine that is more delicious than the riot of far China. The Japanese is doing little life of dissatisfaction that much."

Now I wish there is such thing as a Japanese Technorati, so that I can use a machine-translation tool to learn more about what Japanese people (at least the on-line population) thinks.

See also: Joi Ito's thoughts on the topic.