national

Pew poll: How the Japanese and Chinese see each other

45 Comments
By KEN MORITSUGU

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45 Comments
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Is it just me or are people here more inclined to genuinely believe NHK, politicians, and other propaganda than in, say, the west? When I first came I thought that seemed to be the case, but I probably didn't have the language skills to know for certain. In any case the government media is 95% guilty and responsible for these statistics. They are stirring the hate pot!

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Predictable. And sad.

"Winter is coming."

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The survey of 1,000 Japanese was conducted between April 26 and May 29 using landline telephones and cell phones. The Japan results have a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points. The survey in China was conducted face-to-face with 3,154 people between April 6 and May 8. It has a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.

I know, I know, the statistics can be used to make the argument that this is a valid slice of the population to make the poll results the views of an entire country.

Consider though, China has what, 1.3 BILLION people, with just how many different backgrounds and languages and 3,154 people are a valid sample? Where and who did they talk to? People in Peking? Shanghai? HongKong?

Or how about Japan? 120 MILLION plus and only 1,000? What name list did they use? One's for the Anti-Korean association? People who live around Kasumigaseki? Okinawa?

Data like this can be used to make anything the pollster wants it to be, good, bad or indifferent, and here the polling company is using it's reputation to make the case that THIS data represents both countries, and sadly policies may change or be affected because of it.

I just personally take it with a grain of salt, as I literally see thousands upon thousands of Chinese people every year coming here and spending tons of their hard earned cash on Japanese goods and services and taking loads home too.

Polls don't tell the whole story, or even a small part of it either. Seeing is believing.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The aggressor doesnt get to decide if theyve apologized enough. If the victim claims that they have not apologized enough, then you have not apologized enough.

-11 ( +12 / -23 )

A huge surge in Chinese tourists visiting Japan apparently hasn’t changed public opinion much.

Well, that is surprising. Usually a surge in Chinese tourists seems to reduce opinion of them in much of the world.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Both China & Japan are CAPTIVE audiences to a large extent so OBVIOUSLY China's govt take advantage of that! And Japan's govt SADLY does the same & the views of things are overly narrow in Japan.

I mean just look at the goofball running NHK now, scary. And abe & his ilk routinely tell the media what & how to report.

And here we are, bottom line we EXPECT this crap from China, Japan should have long ago KNOWN BETTER but continues to take the low roads way too often!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

More concerned with NK than China, if China and Japan actually worked together they would be the 2nd + 3rd economies combined....

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

More concerned with NK than China, if China and Japan actually worked together they would be the 2nd + 3rd economies combined....

Aren't they already the 2nd and 3rd economies?

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Where is TAIWAN???

I hate to see whenever people talking about NEIGHBORS of Japan in Asia, they treat TAIWAN as if it never existed. If you add the poll of how Taiwanees see Japan, whole thing looks completly different.

Never talk about Japan vs Chinea or Japan vs China vs Korea without Taiwan. Always talk about Japan vs China vs Korea vs Taiwan, as a whole set!

5 ( +8 / -3 )

China and Korea are rewriting histories to their advantages for one reason they cannot find anything to blame about today's Japan.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

thepersoniamnowSEP. 14, 2016 - 07:32AM JST

Is it just me or are people here more inclined to genuinely believe NHK, politicians, and other propaganda than in, say, the west? When I first came I thought that seemed to be the case, but I probably didn't have the language skills to know for certain. In any case the government media is 95% guilty and responsible for these statistics.

The government media may be "guilty" of the hate in China, but not so in Japan.

The internet media is the hotbed of hate and nationalism in Japan and in China.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Where is TAIWAN???

I hate to see whenever people talking about NEIGHBORS of Japan in Asia, they treat TAIWAN as if it never existed.

It's because Japan and Taiwan generally have pretty good images of each other. Surveys like this are to find out to what degree enmity lies between countries that have conflict with each other.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Or how about Japan? 120 MILLION plus and only 1,000?

What sample size would be acceptable? Please show your math.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

@wontond : you and the other down voted missed the point, if the 2nd and 3rd largest economies worked together they would be very powerful

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The apology game has to stop.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Yubaru wrote:

Consider though, China has what, 1.3 BILLION people, with just how many different backgrounds and languages and 3,154 people are a valid sample? Where and who did they talk to? People in Peking? Shanghai? HongKong?

Or how about Japan? 120 MILLION plus and only 1,000? What name list did they use? One's for the Anti-Korean association? People who live around Kasumigaseki? Okinawa?

Very true, but let's give them some slack. Research is always constrained by time and money. 3000 and 1000 respectively are pretty decent sample sizes, especially for a survey that doesn't really lead to much actual science, and at best might inform policy changes or political rhetoric.

It would be nice for some more information about the participants (age, location, and political leaning would probably be pretty informative), but that's more suitable for a research paper and less for journalism. The fact we got a methodology section at all is pretty amazing. Easy fix: provide the link to the research paper.

I'm less worried about the sample size and more about the method of collection. It's only based on phone calls, meaning that only people who actually picked up the phone and stayed on the line to answer questions are represented. How many of us would actually do this? It would've been relatively easy to include an online and/or in person poll to give the data some diversity. But, once again, time and money.

Overall I'd say the methodology is good enough for it's purpose, however. Kudos to the researcher(s) and writer for putting in the work.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The government media may be "guilty" of the hate in China, but not so in Japan.

Which is the subtle anti-China line that all Japanese repeat and repeat. I am sorry, but (just as in EVERY SINGLE MAJOR COUNTRY, including/especially mine) xenophobic messages, some subtle, some not, are the best way to keep the general public from noticing the corruption in their own government.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

@Nessie

One persons opinion account for 1,200,000 people in Japan. That is what this poll represents. In other words, everyone in Japan thinks exactly the same, the media has the power to control minds on a mass scale, or this information is completely junk.

I personally would go with the media brainwashing.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Some people don't seem to realize that this is how all polling is done, which is why they give a margin of error.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Oh good grief! What is this garbage? I thought hate speech was illegal in Japan. This kind of stuff just promotes it. How about we see a similar one between Tokyo and Osaka? At least that would not be considered propaganda. This is utter nonsense!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

3,154/1,300,000,000 vs 1000/127,000,000.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Until the Commies in China are removed permanently, relations will never really improve and I don't think relations should be good with any Commie dystopia in the first place

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

@gogogo I didn't down vote you. I just genuinely didn't get what you were saying.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Schopenhauer : China and Korea are rewriting histories to their advantages

Rather an ironic claim, considering that when it comes to the business of History Beautification in modern Asia, Japan led the way and reset the bar. If you haven't had the good fortune to see that photo of Meiji emperor before and after Beautification, at a time when most Chinese and Koreans had never even heard of touching up photos, I recommend you check it out -- it's enlightening as well as very amusing.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@ Strangerland

Please explain how 20 people (give or take) per prefecture (minus 30 or so people) represent the entire view of the Japanese people? I don`t think you understand how polling works and generally adapt to headline titles instead of critical thinking.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

There is polling science, and the study of statistics. I'm not the right person to explain how these things work, as I'm no expert, and I don't think it could be done in a single post either. If you are truly interested, the information is out there to be read. If you're just interested in saying it can't be accurate because you can't understand how it works, well that's your choice.

But the fact is, this is how all polling works. I don't trust polls that don't come with a degree of error, but when a poll has one, then it generally means the pollsters have used proper polling methods.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The aggressor doesnt get to decide if theyve apologized enough. If the victim claims that they have not apologized enough, then you have not apologized enough.

I find this comment highly offensive. I demand you apologize, and keep apologizing until I am satisfied.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

I believe the poll is correct and can understand why people don't like the Chinese. I would say if you asked people based on gender then Japanese women would get very favorable reviews and Japanese men not so good.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

thepersoniamnow

Well enough people bought into the brexit propaganda in the UK and plenty of Americans are buying into the Trump crap, so i'd say not so different.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Japanese system has been creating young people who get annoyed by all the complaints China, South Korea and others make about war atrocities because they are not taught what they are complaining about. The J-government deliberately tries not to teach young people the details of Japan's atrocities. If you experience history education in two countries, the way history is taught in Japan has at least one advantage, students come away with a comprehensive understanding of when events happened, in what order. At the age of 14, young Japanese students are clueless of Japan's relations with the outside world. They are taught too late. Young Japanese people often fail to understand why neighboring countries harbor a grudge over events that happened in 1931-45. The reason, in many cases, is that by the time they reach high school, they barely learned any 20th century history. Many young Japanese got a full picture when they left Japan and went to school in foreign countries. It's hardly surprising that some classes, in some schools, never get there, and are told by teachers to finish the book in their spare time.

Many young people in Japan really don't understand the Japan's war history and making the point that many of today's geopolitical tensions stem from what happened then. In Japanese textbook, only a footnote on the Nanjing massacre. Why they couldn't go straight to that period if it was so important, instead of wasting time on the other subject. When students did finally get there, it turned out only few pages dealt with events between 1931-45. Reading many factual books on the incident at least allowed them to understand why many people in China, South Korea and others still feel bitter about Japan's military past.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

JefferyDomerSEP. 14, 2016 - 11:33AM JST

Please explain how 20 people (give or take) per prefecture (minus 30 or so people) represent the entire view of the Japanese people?

If you learn statistics, you learn standard error and sample size planning.

If the population is large enough, for example 1,300,000,000 or 127,000,000, the population size is irrelevant to statistical standard error, and only the sample size is relevant to it.

standard error=0.5*(1/sample size)^0.5

A sample size of 3000 or 1000 is large enough, given margin of error, regardless of the total population.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I thought the Japanese were quiet but unfortunately I have heard and seen the minikui type on their phones in book shops and this week outside my hotel door late at night, gaily jabbering away at high volume.Likewise, both the Japanese and Chinese have a tendency to block corridors to the detriment of those passing..,,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I agree with some posters above. Why only asking about negatives? You'd never know things are so bad judging by all the Chinese tourists here in Shinjuku, and I'm always treated very well when I'm in China. Totally gay gokai has never been asked to leave a gay bar in Shanghai when they find out I'm Japanese (I'm not saying I'm cute or anything). I can't help but think that someone is being left out of the polling. These statistics look like only politicians have been asked.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A sample size of 3000 or 1000 is large enough, given margin of error, regardless of the total population.

That is only true however if there is an explanation regarding the demographics of the sample itself.

Calling over a phone? Ok it mentioned both land and cell phone, land lines, alright what area code? You can be extremely specific in what neighborhoods or areas you choose to call.

What about China? Since it was face to face, where matters a whole hell of a lot when talking about an entire nation that has how many different ethnic groups, not to mention socio-economic diversity and background.

Seems to me that some folks are justifying the numbers without having the pertinent information. I am quite sure that I could get the direct opposite results if I decided to target one specific area of the population but use the same "math" and make the exact same conclusions with the exact same margin of error too!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

polls eh, even with huge samples they get it wrong on so many levels. Anyway, it's more important in the way the question was asked. With the right words you can shift the response to whatever you want. Asking a neutral question is actually harder than people might think because questions that came before may already give biased suggestions which are could be subliminal or just outright witty. http://www.nlpnation.com/subliminal-persuasion-techniques-questions.html

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If the population is large enough, for example 1,300,000,000 or 127,000,000, the population size is irrelevant to statistical standard error, and only the sample size is relevant to it.

Randomizing the sampling is at least as relevant, but you're correct that you don't need huge sample sizes to represent huge populations.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I wonder how accurate Chinese views are since bad mouthing Japan won't get you in trouble in China.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Black Sabbath:

First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Spanki - you mean not enough people bought in to the Remain Propaganda or are buying in to the Clinton Propaganda?

Sample sizes are fine if you are dealing with an homogeneous undifferentiated whole but a human population with varying characteristics, languages and cultural biases will distort the results unless allowed for in the methodology. Ergo such a small sample size is unlikely to accommodate such.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I bet Chinese on the negative side of the 'like' were influenced by history while Japanese on the other hand were mostly affected by the contemporary events in the islands issue.

How bout Ryukyuans view on Japanese? ... and vice versa?

Let us count the sheeps!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@commanteer, the victims don't need japan to keep apologizing, they just need to apologize once and stop slapping the victims by visiting the war glorifying and war criminals enshrined yasukuni shrine every now and then.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Before the war, it is a known fact that the Japanese treated the Chinese and Koreans very well. Talk to the very old people and they will tell you.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Let me make the history right from the begining

In 1900~1905, the Czarist Russian empire occupied the vast north east China or better known as Manchuria land. Then Manchurian empire of China has nothing to fight back but stay quiet by letting Imperial Japan to fight Russia on China's soil during the Russo Japanese war. After winning the Russian army and a full expulsion of Russian influences, the Japanese kept port Arthur and Dailian and some garrisons over Japanese settlers living in north east China for her own trophy. The imperial Japan believes the heavy lost of Japanese lives cannot be done without reward. That's why Japanese settlers begin living in China after 1905. The people in China has nothing to against initially. But the wheel of China has emerged to be a new pace after the Oct 1911 revolution, the toppling of the Manchrian empire and the new born Republic of China 1912. The rise of Chinese nationalism has grown to against everything the previous Manchurian empire including the Japanese role and the aftermath of Russo Japanese war. Resentment grown over Japanese settlers and Japan negotiated with the northern warlord Mr. Yuen SaiHai by bringing up the famous 21 demands treaty 1916 to cement a legitimacy of Japanese settleing policy of sending japanese people especially farmers in China. in late 19 and early 20 century japan has many people emigrated to Taiwan,Korea or even Brazil. The Chinese see this immigration of Japanese on Manchuria or even China is an act of aggression and the 21 demands treaty 1916 and hatred grown since then. The Japanese were defiance and tough over their rights to live on Manchuria soil which they regard as not part of China. Manchuria for Manchurians, China for Chinese..... this is what Japan sees and that contradicts with Chinese see Manchuria is part of China, Manchurians were also Chinese. There is the beginning of the cycle of violence and hatred. After the mukden incident 18/9/1931..... the direct involvement of sending Japanese army into Manchuria, things get even worse and you guys should know the rowing snowball of hatred and violence finally lead to their all out war in 7/7/1937. That war lasted until the defeat of Japan in August 1945.

Conclusion China is a wasp nest, once if any country meddling her domestic issue especially the issue of land with met with a fatal consequenced, the vengeanceful Chinese doesn't care any reasons you bringing up but bulldozing her way to achieve her goal to inflict disaster over her enemy. Japan shouldn't desire a land especially emigrating to mainland China as a destination t o be a safe haven for her nationals to escape earthqukes, sunami. By the way the Japanese defiance like Abe solves nothing, that just brought more hatred and hostility as happened in early 20th century. Even that Senkaku isles is an uninhabitable rock at sea, it is still the flash point of future conflict. Because the sino Japanese conflict is not just about land or nationalism but a 'Racial one'!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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