A recent government survey of 3000 Japanese citizens discovered that levels of friendship or affinity between Japan and China, and Japan and Korea, are at the lowest level since records began. This is thought to be an effect of territorial disputes over the Senkaku Islands and Takeshima, respectively.
The article below describes these survey results, with netizen opinions on why fewer Japanese than ever ‘feel an affinity’ with their Asian neighbours.
From Yahoo!News:
Government Survey: 80% of Citizens ‘Don’t Feel an Affinity With China’: Highest Level Since Survey Began, Influence of Senkaku Islands Issue
Those who answered that they ‘didn’t feel an affinity with China’, including those who said ‘if I had to pick one I’d say I don’t feel an affinity with China’ rose 9.2 points compared with the previous year to 80.6%, according to the results of an opinion poll released by the government on November 24. This compares with 77.8% in 2010, the previous highest figure, when there were collision incidents between Chinese and Japanese fishing boats near the Senkaku Islands (known as the ‘Diaoyu Islands’ in China). The new figure is the highest since records began in 1978. Those who answered that they felt friendly towards China fell by 8.3 points to 18%.
Sino-Japanese relations have rapidly gone down hill since the nationalisation of the Senkaku Islands in September. ‘Demonstrations within China and the appearance of Chinese boats in the seas around the Senkaku Islands are causing the animosity,’ stated the Minisitry of Foreign Affairs.
The survey was carried out from September 27th to October 7th, through individual interviews with 3000 adult men and women from around the country. 61.3% of answers were valid.
Regarding current relations with China, those who answered ‘I don’t think they’re going well’ rose by 16.5 points compared to the previous year to an all time high of 92.8%. Those who answered that relations were ‘good’ or ‘so-so’ fell by 14 points to just 4.8%.
The results of the survey that asked whether or not Japanese felt an affinity with China and South Korea.
In the case of Korea, the number of people who ‘feel no affinity with Korea’ has risen sharply, with an increase of 23.7 points to 59%. Conversely, those who do feel an affinity with the nation fell by 23 points to 39.2%, the first time the rating has been in the 30s in 15 years. The cause is thought to be the Korean Prime Minister’s visit to Takeshima Island (referred to as the ‘Dokdo Islands’ in Korea) in August.
However, those who ‘feel an affinity with America’ rose by 2.5 points to 84.5%, whilst those who do not fell by just 1.8 points to 13.7%.
Comments from Yahoo!News:
har*ma*ab*ntou（har…）さん:
That’s obvious.
After all that’s been done to us, it would be better to ask who can still feel friendly.
あにゃらば（kem…）さん:
I think it’s over 80%…
ににんがし（sak…）さん:
Well, that’s obvious.
島唄（eii…）さん:
I don’t feel friendly towards South Korea either.
nonnku（jkr…）さん:
But I am feeling hatred! What?
hah**ahadan*（hah…）さん:
Those who feel friendly towards the Chinese: 18%
Those who feel friendly towards the Koreans: 39.2%
I’m surprised by how many people there are!
gla**7373（gla…）さん:
I hate China = I agree.
I like China = I don’t agree.
ani*u*ros*（ani…）さん:
All I feel is animosity.
オドロオドロオトロシ（cap…）さん:
政府扇動とは言えあの暴動見たら…。”>There’s no reason why we should feel close to them. Seeing those riots, you could even say they were incited by the government…
とり蔵（tor…）さん:
I hate the Koreans more because they insult our imperial family.
szmb（suz…）さん:
The scenes of Japanese cars being attacked, the glass of Japanese department stores being smashed and the goods stolen, I won’t be able to forget that.
I feel sad thinking about it.
Japanese people wouldn’t do that kind of thing to anyone.
day*o*_zun（day…）さん:
Japan has been treating China and Korea with friendship and sincerity..
But how long are they going to treat us with such rude behaviour?
We don’t need Sino-Japanese relations!
We don’t need Korea-Japan relations!
They are our enemies!
紫電改 空の勇者（tom…）さん:
It’s a foregone conclusion when you think about the awful riots, looting, destruction and arson.
k_h*k*to*（k_h…）さん:
I also hate the Japan that can’t stand up to China.
REI☆LA（mal…）さん:
Far from feeling affection, I feel revulsion. In all honesty, I have no desire to carry on relations with a country which passes off acts of violence as ‘justice’.
misty_blue_cafe（mis…）さん:
Why must we feel friendly towards them? After being treated this badly, more than China, I hate those economic organisations and governments which are just stupidly wagging their tails.
ﾎﾞｷｯｯﾊﾞｷｯｯｯ（b_o…）さん:
It’s not a matter of whether we feel friendly, yeah there are a few good individuals, but as a country I just hate them.
bouzu（uot…）さん:
Everybody is thinking it.
met*bo*_r*ck（met…）さん:
Even from the old days, it’s been like this…
魁！男塾江田島平八（lil…）さん:
Those people saying we should feel close even though they hate us have no idea!
