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Survey: Mistrust High Between Japanese, Chinese Citizens

Protests against Japan's decision to purchase the disputed islands take place in Shenzhen, China, September 16, 2012.

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VOA News

January 07, 2013

While the relationship between the governments of China and Japan is increasingly frosty over the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands, the chill is also being felt among ordinary citizens, according to a recent survey.

According to the survey of 1,000 Japanese and 1,000 Chinese citizens in the last two months of 2012, two-thirds of the Chinese surveyed said they were boycotting Japanese products after the Japanese government purchased the controversial islands in September of last year. Seventy-nine percent of surveyed Chinese thought the Japanese government’s purchase of the islands was incomprehensible.

After Tokyo’s announcement of the purchase, anti-Japanese protests erupted across China, and 24 percent of the Chinese surveyed said they’d participated in them, but 74 percent said the protests went too far.

Tokyo annexed the eight-island chain it calls the Senkakus in 1895, and then re-acquired them from the United States in a post-WWII treaty. Beijing calls the island group Diaoyu, and claims it has been part of its territory since ancient times. Both capitals have ratcheted up rhetoric over the islands in recent months, and neither side has indicated willingness to compromise.

According to the survey, only 32 percent of Chinese respondents said Japan was trustworthy, while only five percent of the Japanese surveyed said China was trustworthy. Younger Chinese, those in their 20s, had a higher level of trust in Japan, with 40 percent saying Japan could be trusted.

The survey also revealed that more than 65 percent of both Chinese and Japanese respondents have no interest in visiting the others’ country.

Despite this, 71 percent of Chinese respondents said ties between the two countries need development, while 60 percent of Japanese thought so.

The survey also showed that 63 percent of the Chinese polled did not know Japan offered loans worth more than 3 trillion yen to China in the past.

The survey was carried out by Kyodo News with the help of research firms Searchina (Shanghai) Co., Tokyo-based Nippon Research Center Ltd.

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by: Nigeshabi from: Canada

January 12, 2013 1:38 AM

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Samurai , please learn the following WWII declaration, it clearly written as follows:
"Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine (US, UK, China, Russian)." As had been announced in the Cairo Declaration in 1943.
"Japan will also be expelled from all other territories which she has taken by violence and greed" (US, UK, China).
----------------------------

Cairo Declaration (1943) (US, UK, China)
The main points of the document were:
• The Allies are not fighting Japan for their own territorial expansion.
• The Allies are resolved to bring unrelenting military pressure against Japan until it agrees to unconditional surrender.
• All territories Japan had won from China since 1914, such as Manchuria (Dongbei), Formosa (Taiwan), and the Pescadores (Penghu), shall be restored to the Republic of China.
• The Allies are determined that Korea shall become free and independent.
• Japan will also be expelled from all other territories which she has taken by violence and greed.

Potsdam Declaration (1945) (US, UK, China, Russian)
• the elimination "for all time [of] the authority and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into embarking on world conquest"
• the occupation of "points in Japanese territory to be designated by the Allies"
• "Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine." As had been announced in the Cairo Declaration in 1943.[1]
• "The Japanese military forces shall be completely disarmed"
• "stern justice shall be meted out to all war criminals, including those who have visited cruelties upon our prisoners"

by: Ricky Sun from: China

January 10, 2013 8:28 AM

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Some Japanese right-wingers continue to distort the truth, they deny the existence of the Nanjing Massacre, and they deny the fact that the invasion of China, the Japanese government is lying, and they even modify the textbook to deny the facts, they carefully reflect on this? This is very sad so many Chinese people actively boycott of Japanese goods is an expression of patriotic sentiment.Regardless of how the Japanese right-wingers lie. Diaoyu Islands are China, this is an indisputable fact.

by: ABC

January 08, 2013 7:27 PM

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@Samurai: True enough. As a oversea born Chinese, due to all the things you mentioned below, I like Japanese culture great deal. But that being said, I just also want to stress the blame is not one-sided. It is important to note the cause behind this is when Mr Ishihara decided he felt like buying the island last year without consulting authorities of both sides. That I believe is the root cause of this whole mess. I do not blame Japan as collective. However I strongly dislike of how much your future is shaped by views of those that represents the views of Japanese imperialists from half a century ago. Those very people that created so much atrocities and sufferings across Asia. That is the real problem. My thinking is simple: supermarket goods have use by dates, after which they are not safe and go sour; What about politicians? Is it really fair to have the older generation dictate the future as according to their vision, but then suffered through by the younger who do not feel the same? If so, when is the hatred going to ever end?

by: Joe from: USA

January 08, 2013 4:25 PM

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@Samurai from: Japan

3 trillion yen (=$34.5 billion) was a loan (with interest), not gift! A petty amount!

Japan destructed and killed millions of Chinese. The total cost is unaccountable! China didn't ask for a single cent in reparations after winning the WWII against the Japanese aggressions. That was a stupid, grave mistake that resulted in Japanese further aggression till this day (China doesn't know how to use stick and carrot as well as the US).

by: Jonathan Huang from: canada

January 08, 2013 8:49 AM

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US ally democratic Taiwan claims Diaoyu island and whole south China sea. Diaoyu island and South China sea belong to Chinese for sure!

by: Samurai from: Japan

January 08, 2013 2:06 AM

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"The survey also showed that 63 percent of the Chinese polled did not know Japan offered loans worth more than 3 trillion yen (=$34.5 billion) to China in the past." ---- This clearly shows that Chinese communists have never taught the truth to Chinese people but have given them false information about Japan and Japanese people. 35 years ago, PRC leaders solicited the help of Panasonic or other Japanese TV manufactures in regard to the establishment of Chinese television factories, and Panasonic helped PRC; nevertheless, as everybody in the world knows, Chinese demonstrators (riots) destructed even Panasonic's factory. These facts show that Chinese Communists bite the hand that feeds them. It is natural that Japanese people who remember other person's kindness forever cannot like Chinese people.

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