In
August 1991, Duan Yuezhong, then
a reporter for the China Youth
Daily, arrived in Japan to be
with his wife who was studying
here. Two years had passed since
the Tiananmen Incident, and his
wife suggested that he take a
look at Japan through the lens
of journalism.
Everything surprised him at first.
When he remembered that he'd left
his passport and wallet at a phone
booth and rushed back, he was
shocked to find that they were
still there, unstolen. He was
taken aback by Japanese media
openly criticizing and satirizing
the country's politicians. At
the same time, he was troubled
by the negative emphasis placed
on crimes committed by foreign
nationals.
In the 22 years that Duan has
been in Japan, he has single-mindedly
dedicated himself to strengthening
Japan-China ties. He puts out
a publication introducing the
various activities undertaken
by Chinese nationals in Japan,
and has written some 240 books
on the relationship between the
two countries. He's held an annual
Japanese essay contest for Chinese
students since 2005, and has run
300 Japan-China exchange events.
Even to Duan, the state of Japan-China
relations is looking grim today,
and it's not just the political
stalemate that he finds striking.
Criticism of Japan is increasing
on Chinese-language microblogging
sites and Chinese students hoping
to study in Japan are fighting
parents who don't want them to,
while the number of students in
Japan learning Chinese has dropped
and anti-Chinese sentiment is
on the rise.
Still, Duan is not out of ideas
for overcoming the current state
of affairs, which he recently
presented at the Japan National
Press Club: step up support for
the approximately 600,000 Chinese
nationals in Japan, and use them
as civilian ambassadors. Invite
influential Chinese bloggers to
Japan so that they can spread
the word about Japan's positive
qualities.
There's plenty more we can do,
apparently.
Let us follow Duan's lead and
bring together ideas toward a
breakthrough in bilateral tensions.
Here's an idea: how about a Japan-China
"bridging" contest?
("Yoroku," a front-page
column in the Mainichi Shimbun)
June 03, 2013(Mainichi Japan)
Click
here for the original Japanese
story
