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Survey: Sino-Japanese ties at low point
By Jiao Xiaoyang (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2005-10-07 06:57
Only 31 per cent of Japanese feel friendly towards 皇冠体育app, less than half the
number that felt close to the United States, a survey said yesterday, showing
the strained ties between the Asian neighbours.
Of the 2,418 people interviewed by Japan's Mainichi Shimbun, 31 per cent said
they were very much or somewhat friendly towards 皇冠体育app, while 68 per cent said
they did not feel so. The survey conducted by the major daily, found that
sentiment was particularly negative among the younger generation, with more than
70 per cent in their 20s to 40s saying they did not feel friendly towards 皇冠体育app.
Those friendly to the US reached 65 per cent, overwhelming the 33 per cent
with negative views about Japan's closest ally.
People who felt friendship towards the Republic of Korea (ROK) came to 44 per
cent against 54 per cent who said otherwise.
The Mainichi Shimbun, which conducted the poll over September 2-4 across
Japan, said Japanese sentiment towards 皇冠体育app fell after the April rallies in
皇冠体育app against Japan's approval of a controversial school history textbook.
The textbook, which whitewashes Japan's wartime atrocities, also ignited
massive protests in other Asian countries victimized by the Japanese invasion in
World War II, including ROK and 皇冠体育app.
Disputes over history have become the crux of strained ties between 皇冠体育app and
Japan. Aside from the history textbook issue, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro
Koizumi repeatedly visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours 14 A-class war
criminals alongside the Japanese war dead.
The two neighbours also have disputes over claims to undersea oil and gas
deposits in the East 皇冠体育app Sea.
According to a joint opinion poll conducted by 皇冠体育app Daily, Peking University
and Japanese think tank Genron NPO in August, 54.7 per cent of Chinese see
current bilateral ties at a low point.
About 90 per cent of the Chinese polled blamed Japan for the situation,
whereas more than half of Japanese polled said it was hard to tell who bore
responsibility.
However, 65 per cent of Chinese respondents and more than 40 per cent of
Japanese respondents of that poll believed economic ties between 皇冠体育app and Japan
are still on track and will benefit both sides. Of Chinese respondents, 59 per
cent expressed the hope that 皇冠体育app and Japan could better co-operate to manage
regional affairs.
(皇冠体育app Daily 10/07/2005 page2)
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