Anti-Japan Incidents by Chinese

Anti-Japan incidents by the Chinese are consecutively reported in Japan. It was reported that a Chinese man left a graffiti on the property of Yasukuni Shrine. A Chinese staff for NHK radio news distortedly read a news with a comment which was not in the text. They may reflect deteriorating relationship between Japan and China, as seen in the diplomatic channel of them. 

A graffiti was found on a stone pillar of Yasukuni Shrine in June, which read “toilet” in red paint. A Chinese man was arrested in July with suspicion of destruction of property and the police obtained warrant for arrest of two other Chinese, who were supposed to get back to China. Chinese police announced in August that it was interviewing one of the two men with suspicion of another crime, without referring to the incident of Yasukuni.

 

In a radio news program of NHK in Chinese language on August 19, an outsourced staff read the news of arresting the Chinese on graffiti in Yasukuni with his own comments. After reading the news, he added “Senkaku Islands are Chinese territory” in Chinese and insisted that the people must not forget the Nanjing massacre, the wartime comfort women or Unit 731.

 

In a special TV program in the evening of August 26, NHK apologized on the inappropriate speech in its international radio program. NHK explained that Senkaku Islands are inherited territory of Japan and comfort woman issue had been settled with the government of Republic of Korea. It also denounced the comment of the Chinese staff as violating basic rules of its international program which required properly sending important policy of Japan, official recognition on international issues and public opinion of Japan.

 

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi criticized NHK and demanded preventive measures, saying “Regretful. It was totally incompatible with the stance of our nation.” “It opposes to NHK’s mission as the public broadcaster which is in charge of international broadcasting,” said Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeaki Matsumoto in his press conference.

 

On the same day of NHK’s apology, a Chinese military aircraft violated Japan’s air territory for the first time. While Japanese government opposed to the action of Chinese military, Chinese government insisted that the violation did not have any intention of violating Japan’s territory. The bilateral relationship has been deteriorated after Japan started discharging “processed” water from crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima into the Pacific Ocean.

 

A multi-partisan delegation of the Diet members, headed by veteran lawmaker of the Liberal Democratic Party Toshihiro Nikai, made a visit to China. Although they had meetings with ranked members of the Communist Party of China, it is unlikely that they meet with the president Xi Jinping. It reflected sober relationship in the level of lawmakers between Japan and China.

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