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With the debate over the ownership of the Senkaku islands remaining heated, tensions continue to run high across mainland China. There have been numerous instances of attacks on those being seen to support Japan, and Japanese-owned businesses have been hit hard, with many, including world-famous fashion store Uniqlo, ordering their Japanese staff to remain at home for the time being.
On this side of the water, however, both Japanese and Chinese alike are going about their daily lives with relatively little conflict or stress.
Record China reports that many Chinese journalists visiting Japan are returning to their homeland more or less empty-handed in terms of dramatic scoops and photos, reporting that they did not witness a single scene of violence or unrest on the streets.
In an article published late last week, the website quotes a young Chinese man studying at a Tokyo university, who tells of how friends from home, believing him to be in danger, have sent messages urging him to be careful.
“Aside from a few scary-looking right-wing protestors I came across in Shibuya, I haven’t seen any trouble,” he said, “I’ll probably just be careful not to speak in Chinese too loudly from now.”
Indeed, for all the images of window-smashing and violence beamed back from China, everything in Japan is, on the surface at least, business as usual.
A fellow Chinese student at the university, going by the name Wei, is also quoted by the website as saying: “The Japanese people don’t seem to have changed in any way; the only difference here is that the newspaper columns and media reports seem to be a little more heated than usual.”
Although the issue of the Senkaku islands is a serious one and in need of urgent attention, it would seem that, while China is whipping itself up into a frenzy over the dispute, Japan, although deeply affected, is remaining calm.
One of my own Japanese friends here in Tokyo recently told me of receiving a phone call from her friend in China, genuinely concerned about my friend’s physical safety.
“She told me to take care of myself and not to get involved in any demonstrations that might turn violent. When I told her that there weren’t any, she seemed genuinely shocked; as if she’d been led to believe that scenes of similar unrest were occurring in Japan, too.”
Perhaps the issue to be addressed first here is the lack of real communication. It would be wrong to suggest that Japanese are not troubled or angered by the recent events, but few are letting it affect their daily lives or resorting to violence and flag-burning.
When asked whether the dispute between Japan and China had affected his business, a Chinese restaurant owner in Ikebukuro replied: “Most of my customers are Japanese; if anything, I feel like they intentionally avoid the topic of the islands all together when they visit my restaurant.”
The tourism industry has, however, seen huge losses.
Many Chinese-owned travel agents based in Japan are reported to have seen a plunge in the number of bookings they receive from Chinese customers, despite the fact that, while leading tours around cities like Tokyo and Osaka, there has yet to be a single anti-Chinese outburst or comment heard.
Another Chinese travel agent tells of mass cancellations in recent weeks:
“We had a lot of reservations from Chinese people taking advantage of the public holidays in China at the end of October, but in a flash they all cancelled. To make matters worse, many Chinese tour guides have left the country. This will probably continue for at least the next six months.”
Source: Record China
© RocketNews24
36 Comments
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Eric Schneider
The Japanese aren't protesting because they have nothing to protest, they aren't rioting because this isn't acceptable behaviour in any society and, if nothing else, the Japanese try to be polite. So what do the journalists expect to behave like - Chinese?
paulinusa
To some of you complaining about the article: Where and when were the riots in the streets of Japan?
noriyosan73
A brilliant observation! Japan does not have fire-bombings of Chinese property or interests. Japan does not have politicos killing other politicos. Japan does not have government control of religions and speech. A civilized country can be boring, but it is safe to live in.
Frungy
I think people are missing the subtext in the article. People in China seem to think there is violence here in Japan. Where are they getting this idea from? My guess is that the Chinese state-owned media is promoting this impression.
darknuts
Um how about the wonton destruction of Japanese property and products or maybe the pompus behavior of the Chinese fishing vessels violating sovereign Japanese territory and spraying water cannons at the coast guard. How about the illegal landings of Chinese nationals on Japanese territory and the governments unwillingness to take hard measures against them. How about the unprovoked attacks of japanese citizens in hong kong? How about the childish and unjustified economic sanctions on Japanese products and the irrational and provocative behavior of the chinese government throughout this whole ordeal? The Japanese have plenty to protest and riot over. Theyre just more civilized, plain and simple.
nath
The thing is, media in Japan is open, we can access international news with little or no problems at all.
China, on the other hand, has been known to be strictly monitoring what the citizens are able to access, and at most times, are just being told what the communist government wants them to hear.
JoeBigs
"Record China reports that many Chinese journalists visiting Japan are returning to their homeland more or less empty-handed in terms of dramatic scoops and photos, reporting that they did not witness a single scene of violence or unrest on the streets."
That is the difference between the two nations, one is civilized the other is not.
China is looking for a way to blame Japan if they start a war.
They do not want to have the US coming to pay them a visit.
darknuts
I bet the Chinese media was very dissappointed.
mikihouse
business as usual
cabadaje
It's a bit deeper than that.
China wants this to be a global issue. No one else in the world cares. Japan barely cares. China is doing everything and anything to stir up a fight, but when all is said and done, this just isn't an issue to anyone other than China.
No doubt. There's always someone wandering out of a bar somewhere willing to exercise their constitutional right to make an ass of themselves.
Robert Dykes
Callme and blackcat. I am sorry but have you read a single history book. What a about the USA, Austriala, new Zealand pretty much every inch of south American were all "taken". That is how the world worked in the past. We don't do it anymore but the world respects the lines, the countries, the ownerships from time past. How is this island any differnt than the Brits, French, and Spainyards taking north america. Oh that's right! No one lives on the these islands and ownership can be traced back to not one but two treaties.
WilliB
....and wouldn´t they have loved to report violent scenes back to China. I wouldn´t be surprised if they end up making them up.
What we see here is the difference between civilization and barbarism. No matter where you stand on the island dispute, the Chinese communist government has thoroughly discredited itself.
Saketown
Yea, of course there is nothing to report from Japan. #1 The Japanese are Civilized. #2 The Japanese are Polite and Well Mannered. #3 The Japanese Go to Work and they have decent Jobs. They're not like the Communist Regime Thugs instigating Riots, Looting, and Assaults on the Japanese Business's and hard working Japanese living in China. China just found itself on the Wrong Side of History...again.
Virtuoso
I walked through a neighborhood park in Tokyo yesterday and saw that the signs now all contain Chinese and Korean. I doubt if the reporters for Record China, who searched for evidence of anti-Chinese sentiments, bothered to mention items like this.
That said, the sad fact is, the totally self-absorbed people of Japan won't take their noses out of the tiny screens on their cell phones for more than a few minutes of the day. So it's hardly any wonder they don't bother to consider what the hell's going on in the real world.
Dennis711
Ok... some here have strange ideas about how the world works. The person who has been wronged usually has nothing to worry about. I believe this is the case with Japan. The US took control over Japan's southern lands. The returned them along with Okinawa. They are Japanese territory that is why the US occupied them. So of course they were returned to Japan. No international court will side with China on this. They (China) will have to take them, and they may be ready for trouble with Japan, but there isno way the US will let China have those islands, on top of that will be problems with the UN. Nothing to report in Japan
Kobuta Chan
It shows differences between Democratic country and Communist country. Communist Government itself involving in riot.
kevininjapan
@YuriOtaniOct. 01, 2012 - 07:40AM JST
The attacks are still going on in China (both) and against Chinese."
Source please. Or stop.
BTW, have you got any idea what the time of the year means to the Chinese now?
YuriOtani
The attacks are still going on in China (both) and against Chinese.
globalwatcher
US media in Japan send message home: 'Nothing much to report here'
YuriOtani
Can not remember ever going to an anti-base protest in Okinawa. I remember seeing them use to always cross to the other side of the street. About Japanese protest they are peaceful. While there are a few nuts the vast majority are law abiding.
Milton Soong
We are in Shibuya the night of 9/19. We are Ethnic Chinese from US playing tourist in Japan. We met one Japanese men who talked to us "excitedly" (less than shouting but more than conversation). My local friend translated to us that he said "Why don't you Chinese just go home?". Pretty mild, but I still count it as harassment.
BlackcatBCB
Robert Dykes still doenst meen that it's ok to do it!
kurisupisu
Apart from the fire that was set at the gates of the Chinese school in Kobe a week ago not much but if the brainwashing began again who know what history could repeat?
Virtuoso
Japanese would only turn nasty toward Chinese here if anti-Chinese behavior were openly encouraged by the government. At this moment, that sort of behavior is only happening in China. But it could change.
kevininjapan
@darknutsOct. 01, 2012 - 09:37AM JST
You took someone else's islands. You run them, you administer them and you can step foot on them anytime you want. What is there to protest?Um how about the wonton destruction of Japanese property and products or maybe the pompus behavior of the Chinese fishing vessels violating sovereign Japanese territory and spraying water cannons at the coast guard. How about the illegal landings of Chinese nationals on Japanese territory and the governments unwillingness to take hard measures against them. How about the unprovoked attacks of japanese citizens in hong kong? How about the childish and unjustified economic sanctions on Japanese products and the irrational and provocative behavior of the chinese government throughout this whole ordeal? The Japanese have plenty to protest and riot over. Theyre just more civilized, plain and simple."
Um how about the massive destruction of Chinese property and systematic looting occurred before 1945?
Oh, I forgot. The artifacts are in museums now. The deeds were way back.
So, how about the polite Japanese wait another 70 years? I will personally make sure to get the Chinese to talk about the damaged Japanese goods then.
Indeed, Noda has kept reminding everybody how civilized his country men are compared to you know whom. Indeed, now looking back, when Obama had his ambassador killed, what did he make of Libyans and Muslims in relation to the killers? I wonder why Obama has never felt the need to make the same point.:-)
Talk about pretense. What is it to report? No rebuttal to the documents China has presented to counter Japan's terra nullius claim?
kevininjapan
@ElvensilvanOct. 01, 2012 - 11:29AM JST
The thing is, media in Japan is open, we can access international news with little or no problems at all.
China, on the other hand, has been known to be strictly monitoring what the citizens are able to access, and at most times, are just being told what the communist government wants them to hear."
That media in Japan is open does not mean they report everything and give equal attention to every piece. NY Times openly says they prints all news that are fit to print. That is right. You won't see Kate's balcony pictures if you only read their news.
Now you tell me what happened to the people who smashed cars in China and what happened to the car owners. I have not found much in Japanese media. Show me the pieces on major news organizations since you write with such strong sense of authority. These have been widely reported in China already, if you care to know.
And tell YuriOtani, please.
kevininjapan
@kurisupisuOct. 01, 2012 - 06:24PM JST
Apart from the fire that was set at the gates of the Chinese school in Kobe a week ago not much but if the brainwashing began again who know what history could repeat?"
Apart from? Which school in China was touched? And mind you, this is not the first time they targeted the school.
And I thought the police considered some restaurant windows were smashed due to the recent tensions. You didn't know or you have a different view? Didn't NHK and all the major newspapers deal with such news with the same standard - front page regardless of the nationalities of the perpetrators?:-)
kevininjapan
@Dennis711Oct. 01, 2012 - 06:26PM JST
Ok... some here have strange ideas about how the world works. The person who has been wronged usually has nothing to worry about. I believe this is the case with Japan. The US took control over Japan's southern lands. The returned them along with Okinawa. They are Japanese territory that is why the US occupied them. So of course they were returned to Japan. No international court will side with China on this. They (China) will have to take them, and they may be ready for trouble with Japan, but there isno way the US will let China have those islands, on top of that will be problems with the UN. Nothing to report in Japan"
Strange thing indeed. Nothing to report.
When China has published a white paper detailing why these islands were theirs before 1895, no response.
When China points out Chinese lands were to return to China after Japan's surrender in 1945. No response.
Repeat: China didn't ask for it until 1970s. As if by repetition these islands would have become Japan's after 1945. China's well documented objection to the transfer and the understanding established between the two countries to put aside the sovereignty issue would just melt away.
Repeat: There is no dispute. We are a nobler nation. As if the world agreed.
What is to report?
When NHK turns to 'senmonka', they inevitably show exactly one expert for one report. The whole nation is so used to it, now that Noda has spoken, who needs a closer look whether his and his fellow politicians' claims have any leg to stand on?
With a nation and people like this, what is to report?
A few historians and/or intellectuals, let them vent. For everyone else, who doesn't know the stigma and isolation facing whistle blowers? No need to dig up old news. There is hardly ever a whistle blower in Japan. What is to report?:-)
Serrano
I'll bet both Chinese and Japanese travel companies are fuming over lost business since this fiasco started.
kevininjapan
@YuriOtaniOct. 01, 2012 - 11:08AM JST
Can not remember ever going to an anti-base protest in Okinawa. I remember seeing them use to always cross to the other side of the street. About Japanese protest they are peaceful. While there are a few nuts the vast majority are law abiding."
Right there, the last sentence.
Don't worry. The sentiment has been reported in China. Anybody who has cared to learn about the mindset of Japanese a century ago can see where this is heading.
Strictly speaking, there is nothing new to report.
nath
"A civilized country can be boring, but it is safe to live in." @Noriyosan73, thats priceless. It's golden wisdom for the ages, and I hope it catches on!
Mocheake
Don't know about "business as usual." Every day I hear someone here whining about China or the Chinese. Oh, wait, maybe that IS business as usual.
Ewan Huzarmy
just more 'oh look how good we are behaving' pro-japan propaganda to bolster a nation's low self esteem.
BlackcatBCB
I agree with callmeB! I was just going to say that. Why would people protest when they know they are wrong? But on the other hand it is truth that Japanese people don't go bezerk braeking everything in the street when you have political issue with an other country. For this China is a bad student!
callmeB
How stupid is this article. OF course there's nothing going on in Japan. You took someone else's islands. You run them, you administer them and you can step foot on them anytime you want. What is there to protest? Its the side that felt that they're being taken advantage of that should or would protest. You hit the jackpot and you're protesting that you.... hit.. the... jackpot...?
WTF is this? If I own Okinawa, would I be protesting? See the USMC for example. Do you see Americans protesting that we occupy your territories and used them for military bases? Or do you see Okinawan's protesting about we occupying their land for military bases?
You Japanese always do this misleading articles to mislead the public. ITs always subtle but yet so childish.