The Evolution of Japanese Perceptions of China since 1945

Abstract

AbstractThis essay is an examination of how Japanese perceptions of China have changed over time, paying particular attention to issues of political economy. It will examine relations both before and after the 1972 normalization of relations between the two countries. Notes1 “Heiwa nihon juritsu no hōkō: honsha yoron chōsa; 8.8 wari sensō nozomazu; eisei chūritsu wo attōteki shiji [Towards the Establishment of a Peaceful Japan: Our Opinion Survey; 88% do not wish for war, overwhelming support for permanent neutrality],” Yomiuri Shimbun, August 15, 1949.2 “Tai bei kankei, Anpo mondai: honsha yoron chōsa [Relations with the United States, the Security Treaty Issue: Mainichi Opinion Polls],” Mainichi Shimbun, Jauly 1, 1968.3 “Kyosantō wo dō omou, honsha yoron chōsa 87% ga kenokan idaku, Kokufu shiji tsuyomaru 44% [What do you think of the communist party? Yomiuri Opinion Survey: 87% dislike, support for the Kuomintang government increases to 44%],” Yomiuri Shimbun, February 18, 1952.4 “Gaikō seisaku wa dō suru beki ka, Honsha yoron chōsa: Seifu no seisaku to kōsō [What should our foreign policy be? Mainichi Opinion Polls: Government Policy and Ideas”), Mainichi Shimbun, June 24, 1953.5 “Tōzai kyozon to keizai mondai: Honsha zenkoku yoron chōsa. ‘Chūso tsūshō’ ni rakkan ron [The coexistence of the East and West and Economic Issues: Yomiuri Nationwide Opinion Survey; ‘China/Soviet Businessmen’ are optimistic”), Yomiuri Shimbun, December 29, 1954.6 Inoue Masaya, “Yoshida Shigeru no Chūgoku ‘gyaku shintō’—Tai Chūgoku interijensu wo megutte, 1952-1954 [Yoshida Shigeru’s ‘Reverse Penetration’ Vision for China—Discussing intelligence on China, 1952-1954],” Kokusai seiji, no. 151, March 2008.7 “Kishi naikaku no gaikō wo dō miru: Honsha zenkoku yoron chōsa. Tai Bei kyōchō wo zenin 64% [What do you think of the Kishi Cabinet’s foreign policy? Yomiuri Nationwide Opinion Survey. 64% approve of cooperation with the United States],” Yomiuri Shimbun, September 16, 1957.8 “Kaku jikken wa mō gomen: Uragirareta Nihon no negai/Chūgoku kaku jikken [No more nuclear tests: A betrayal of Japan’s plea/Chinese nuclear test],” Yomiuri Shimbun, October 17, 1964.9 “Nicchū, 64% kokkō nozomu. Taiwan to danzetsu, hantai ga ōi. Seiji [Japan-China, 64% want diplomatic relations. Most oppose ending relations with Taiwan. Politics],” Mainichi Shimbun, June 23, 1970.10 “Gunkoku shugi: Nicchū mondai. Nakayoku shitai kuni: Honsha yoron chōsa ‘Kurashi to seiji ishiki’ [Militarism: Japan-China Issues. Countries to get along with: Mainichi Opinion Polls, ‘Life and Political Consciousness’],” Mainichi Shimbun, January 3, 1972.11 “Ichiban shitashiku suru kuni. Bei oi Chūgoku 23%: Bōei Mondai (Honsha yoron chōsa) [Friendliest country. China close behind America at 23%: Defense Issues Mainichi Opinion Polls],” Mainichi Shimbun, November 1, 1978.12 “Gaikō ni kansuru yoron chōsa ichiran [Summary of Public Opinion Polls on Foreign Relations],” Cabinet Office website, https://survey.gov-online.go.jp/index-gai.html.13 “Dai 18 kai Nicchū kyodō yoron chōsa (2022) kekka [Results from the 18th joint Japan-China Public Opinion Survey (2022)],” Genron NPO website, November 30, 2022, https://www.genron-npo.net/world/archives/13950.html.14 “Negative Views of China Tied to Critical Views of Its Policies on Human Rights,” Pew Research Center, June 29, 2022, https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/06/29/negative-views-of-china-tied-to-critical-views-of-its-policies-on-human-rights/.15 “Gaikō ni kansuru yoron chōsa ichiran [Summary of Public Opinion Polls on Foreign Relations],” Cabinet Office website, https://survey.gov-online.go.jp/index-gai.html.Additional informationNotes on contributorsKawashima ShinKawashima Shin is Professor, Department of International Relations, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the University of Tokyo. Previously he was associate professor at Hokkaido University (1998-2006) and the University of Tokyo (2006-2015). He earned academic degrees at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (B.A.1992) and the University of Tokyo (Oriental history, M.A., 1994 and Ph. D., 2000).Other posts include Senior Fellow in the National Security Agency (2014-2018), and an associate member of the Science Council of Japan (2014 to present).He was engaged in education and research at Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica (Taipei), Beijing Center for Japanese Studies, Peking University, National Chengchi University (Taipei), and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. His research covers Chinese/Taiwanese diplomatic history and the contemporary international relations in East Asia. He has authored and edited several books and numerous articles, notably Formation of Chinese Modern Diplomacy (Nagoya University Press, 2004, awarded the Suntory Academic Prize), and China in the 21st Century (Chuokoron-shinsha, 2016).He joined NPI as a Senior Fellow in 2010 and became Executive Director of Research at NPI in 2022.