East Asian Linguistics

For many, politics was always seen as something distant and separate from our daily lives, only existing in government buildings or press conferences. International disputes are not usually thought to be connected with the shows we stream, the music we listen to, or the places we plan to travel to. 

Yet the rise in tensions between China and Japan suggests otherwise. The two countries have been in conflict for decades since World War II, sparking particularly after the events of the Nanjing Massacre, when Japan invaded China and left lasting wounds for the country.

“I remember my parents telling me about how anti-Chinese propaganda is still taught to some Japanese people,” said Junior Vita Shao from Los Osos High School. “There are definitely still tensions between the two nations that I remember growing up with.”

More recently, with the election of Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s leadership has not only emphasized its alignment with the United States but also has taken a firmer stance in supporting Taiwan. This move further heightened Japan’s tensions with China, as China considers Taiwan as part of its own territory. 

While both governments are responding with military activity and diplomatic pressure, these political disputes are beginning to weave into the cultural spaces of both countries that once felt far from foreign affairs. 

Japanese entertainment, in both film and music, has faced tighter restrictions on many Chinese streaming platforms following the recent events. There is no formal ban between the countries, but the decision to either promote or secretly remove certain content often reflects the current political climate.

In order to prevent any further animosity or backlash, companies have expressed increased cautionregarding their marketing strategies and adjusted certain releases accordingly. 

The tensions are seen even more clearly in live entertainment, though. Japanese artists and performers have recently faced more limited opportunities to promote or perform through concerts in China. 

Certainly, fans have expressed their disappointment when tours skip certain cities or specific celebrities are unable to promote there. But companies are forced to consider the current political sensitivity, and many have begun to avoid expanding into certain markets to prevent any more complications between the two countries.

Junior Kelly Cao from Los Osos High School has noticed this tense relationship reflected in many fan communities and online conversations. “Korean-pop group ENHYPEN has one Japanese member [Ni-ki]. There was a lot of discourse around it on social media since it seemed like their company was excluding Ni-Ki from regular idol activities. 

Some people were saying that he hid behind a pole when the paparazzi were taking pictures of them at the airport on the way to China.” Even tourism has been impacted by the political conflicts between China and Japan. 

Chinese tourists had previously been a large part of travelers to Japan. But the current public sentiment has greatly influenced these travel patterns, as the Chinese government discourages travel to Japan. 

Chinese tourists are feeling less welcome in Japan, and along with facing pressure from their home country, travel there has immensely reduced. Especially in our modern world, media and online communities are important in bringing cultural exchange among countries.

 It’s frustrating to see entertainment and other factors, which are meant to connect audiences, become tangled in political tensions that fans and citizens have no control over.