Mutual Othering and Sino-Japanese Nationalism: Perceptions, Themes and Implications on Bilateral Relations

Abstract

The relationship between Japan and China is important yet fragile, often plagued by unresolved historical and territorial controversies. Adopting a Constructive approach, this essay argues that current bilateral tensions should be understood in the context of a broader process of national identity building in both countries. Specifically, China and Japan play a prominent role as the ‘Other’ in shaping each other’s identity during three key historical periods - the initial period of modernization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Cold War, and the contemporary era since the 1990s. Bilateral interactions in these crucial times of change create long-lasting themes, which in turn shape perceptions, identities and future relations. In addition to a historical analysis of bilateral interactions, the essay also examines how today’s information technology and advanced capitalism reinforce the pre-existing perceptions and themes, and consequently further complicate the management of Sino-Japanese relationship.