Survey: 84% of Japanese have negative view of China

By TAKUYA HIRAGA/ Staff Writer

More than 84 percent of Japanese have “unfavorable” impressions of China, while 64.5 percent of Chinese feel the same about Japan, according to a survey released June 20.

The survey was jointly conducted by the Genron NPO, a Japanese think tank, and the China Daily, an English-language broadsheet headquartered in Beijing, from April to May, with responses received from 1,000 Japanese and 1,627 Chinese.

Among the Japanese respondents, 84.3 percent have “unfavorable” impressions of China, the highest level since the survey was first held in 2005 and exceeding the previous high of 78.3 percent in last year’s survey.

More than half, or 54.4 percent, cited as their reason: “(China) appears selfish” in securing natural resources and energy.

“Both governments should make efforts to overcome the issue over the Senkaku Islands, which is the cause of the worsened relations,” said Yasushi Kudo, who heads the Genron NPO.

“Territorial issues” were cited the most in both countries—69.6 percent of Japanese and 51.4 percent of Chinese--as a problem hampering the development of bilateral relations.

In addition, 21.3 percent of the Chinese respondents said “nationalism and anti-Japan acts by Chinese people” are hampering the development of ties between the Asian neighbors.

The Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China, which calls them the Diaoyu islands.

The Japanese government says a territorial dispute does not exist over the Senkaku Islands. According to the survey, however, 62.7 percent of the Japanese and 59.3 percent of the Chinese said the Senkaku issue “exists.”