The Fallacy about China’s Anti-Japan Sentiments

By+WANG+TAIPING

THE term “anti-Japan” has been frequently used in Japanese media coverage about China over recent years， to label issues ranging from Chinas protests against the Japanese governments “purchase” of the Diaoyu Islands to condemnation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. Such terminology is misleading and provocative， since it could not be further from truth. People in both countries should be on high alert over this expression， intended as it is to instigate confrontation and conflict.

The Chinese government and people are not against Japan or its people， but rather those rightwing forces that purposely sabotage Sino-Japanese relations for political gain. Chinas protests over Japan in recent years have focused on such rightwing forces in that country.

Territorial and historical issues are highly pertinent to bilateral ties. Yet Japanese lawmakers from time to time make provocative moves in this regard， thereby endangering Chinas sovereign rights and offending the Chinese people. How could Japan expect China to sit back and keep silent in such a situation？ “Waves surge due to strong winds， and water is left at peace after tides recede，” so goes the Chinese saying. Japanese leaders should look to their own behavior as to why China responds so strongly to some of their words and deeds.

The tension now evident in Sino-Japanese relations is not between the two peoples， but between Japans rightwing forces and the Chinese people – or more accurately– the Chinese and Japanese people combined. For right-wing activists， making “Chinas anti-Japan sentiments”and “China threat” allegations are steps toward revising the Pacifist Constitution， rebuilding a more active army with greater power， and exercising the right of collective self-defense， empowering Japan with the right of external war. This is a dangerous trend for a country whose government refuses to face history squarely and recognize past wrongs. Japans right of external war could not only threaten peace and stability in Asia， but also put its own people in peril.

Average Japanese citizens have also fallen victim to the countrys militarism. Japans defeat in WWII took a heavy toll on its international status， a consequence any invading nation rightly deserves. But it is everyday people who have borne the brunt of suffering. They have for generations lived under the lingering shadows of that war. In this regard， we understand Japanese peoples desire for their country to return to normality. But， in fact， the “normal country” notion touted by Shinzo Abe does not mesh with what the Japanese public envisions. Moreover， the unresolved question in this issue is， how will Japan reach this goal？

In my opinion， it is only through adhering to the path of peaceful development， adopting an appropriate attitude towards history and behaving accordingly that Japan can repair its image among other Asian countries and across the world. Otherwise， its efforts to become a normal country will come to no avail. Neither the international community nor its own people will accept a Japan that denies history and strays from peaceful development. It is also counterproductive for Japan to foul its relations with neighboring countries， by taking China as its imagined enemy or inciting nationalist sentiments.

Eric Heginbotham， senior political scientist and professor of Pardee RAND Graduate School at the RAND Corporation， once commented that the best approach for Japan to move forward is to frankly admit the sins of its imperialist era， so as not to pass on its past follies to future generations.

Last year， Philip Stephens， chief political commentator and associate editor of the Financial Times， penned the article “Abe Wont Revive Japan by Rewriting History，”noting， “Mr. Abe is fanning the glowing embers of old rivalries and hatreds across east Asia... There is nothing to be gained， and much to be lost， by the attempt to rewrite the past.”

During his speech in Hiroshima last year， film director Oliver Stone said that Japan should learn from Germany in facing history – as the two were the main countries defeated in WWII. “In Germany we see a country that literally turned inward， examined itself and felt guilty about what had happened in the militarized war. Germany apologized， and more importantly， became a moral force in Europe for peace. When I look at Japan since WWII， I see culture， beauty， great movies， good cuisine， but not one politician， one PM who has stood up for peace， for moral integrity， not one... It is simply a satellite state， a client state of the United States.”

Germany reaffirms the truth that any country that is honest about its past， including unsavory parts， and has the guts to shoulder responsibilities accordingly， is destined to progress toward a better future. Japan should look to Germany， in order to reflect on itself and， following the European countrys example， to learn from history.

This overture is， however， rejected by certain people in Japan， whose arguments all boil down to the assertion that Japan and Germany are different countries， and drawing any comparison between them is hence inappropriate. This reminds many of the wide perception that Japans “common sense” is， in fact， rather a lack of international common sense. Is the whole international community going mad， or do those individuals oppose comparisons with Germany out of ulterior motives？ There has been a broad consensus globally， rather than just a minority view， that Japan should follow Germanys lead in dealing with the past. Compliance is not a tall order， and it is Japan itself that will benefit the most from this well-intended advice. As Confucius taught， when one sees a virtuous person， one should think of emulating him.

Amity is mutually beneficial， while enmity inflicts damage on both parties. Both the Chinese and Japanese people should learn from history. China is loath to see its relationship with Japan plunge to the lowest ebb since the establishment of full diplomatic ties between the two countries. The two sides should take action to restore good bilateral relations. The healthy and stable development of Sino-Japanese ties is in the interests of both peoples.