The US State Department just sent this to expats’ email boxes:
Recent news reports could lead to the recurrence of anti-Japanese demonstrations similar to those seen in April 2005. In the past, these events have resulted in property damage and some instances of violence that required a police response.
Americans are urged to monitor the local news, be vigilant of their
surroundings, and avoid crowds. Past demonstrations have taken place near the Japanese Embassy in Beijing and Japanese Cultural Centers and businesses in other Chinese cities.
Get out your riot gear, avoid sushi bars and don’t accept rides from anyone driving a Nissan.
1
By bobo
I think I’ll do the opposite. Living not far from the Ritan embassy area, I think I’ll have a look there next weekend. Curious what measures the authorities take there.
But of course I hope to see only some more policemen and no chance to take some pictures worth to sell to Reuters.
October 17, 2005 @ 5:10 am | Comment
2
By ACB
I’d also advise anybody who is overseas Chinese or Korean etc to make it obvious by doing things like speaking in English rather than bad mandarin or their own language and not wearing clothes with Japanese logos or script on them.
I’ve known one too many Chinese non mainland Chinese Asians/Chinese Americans who’ve been mistaken for Japanese and been on the wrong end of a racist incident.
China REALLY needs to learn some perspective.
October 17, 2005 @ 5:50 am | Comment
3
By bobo
Hmm, that’s maybe a good idea for all asian looking non mainlanders but what about the japanese? I’m quite sure that the most of them don’t agree with the backwarded and ignorant behaviour of their government.
October 17, 2005 @ 8:07 am | Comment
4
By Thomas
What news reports is this warning referring to. I know relations betweein Chi and Jap are not smooth for a number of reasons, but I have not heard of a major issue in the last few days.
October 17, 2005 @ 8:26 am | Comment
5
By Thomas
Never mind. I got it. The shrine……
Ah….another day caught between unbending Asian powers…..
October 17, 2005 @ 9:30 am | Comment
6
By bobo
I really don’t understand it. The majority seems not to support this offending policy. Some scheduled meetings are already canceled by PRC and ROK.
For the chinese officials this of some use: In case of internal problems they can draw the attention of the puplicity on Japan due to their needs. A dangerous game.
October 17, 2005 @ 9:48 am | Comment
7
By Raj
The teaching of Japanese history and visits to Yasukuni are issues that the PRC and ROK take issue with frequently.
But if anyone takes issue with their history books?
“How dare you suggest such a thing? The PRC/ROK is a sovereign nation and the teaching of history is an internal matter. You are clearly China/Korea-basher. Shut up you racist whitey!”
October 17, 2005 @ 2:06 pm | Comment
8
By Kevin
Oh boy, here comes the idiot’s parade again. And all those Japanese restaurants and KTV parlors out in Hongqiao just got finished being rebuilt!
Sorry, but if these protestors are willing to be completely controlled by their “mama” Party, then they aren’t worthy of much respect. After the April protests, everyone was so confused when the government suddenly decided to shut down “the protest show.” If they come back out of their cages to spit their venom at the “enemy of choice,” i don’t see how anyone could take them seriously.
October 17, 2005 @ 7:54 pm | Comment
9
By everlasting
I have to second ABC’s warning, since it happened to none other than ME (but not during the last anti-Japan riot, I would have probably been beaten to a pulp).
A few months back I was in China as a tourist with family. Mainlanders can easily tell if you are foreign, even if you’re also Chinese. With my bad Mandarin, and my California-ish appearance, (and bleached hair), this idiot on the street thought for some reason I was Japanese, and made some derogatory comments right next to me, in Mandarin, gesticulating his hands to and fro. I promptly corrected him with a flow of bad Mandarin and English “phrases.” The experience riled me up though, that kind of thing never happened before on my previous trips in China, and even in America I had never experienced that kind of thing.
On a more different note though, the Japanese friends I did have who studied in China really all had greater difficulty trying to adjust than my other non-Japanese friends. They had to overcome a higher barrier and a lot more discrimination than the typical foreign student. They’re mostly happy with their experiences though.
October 18, 2005 @ 5:59 am | Comment
10
By Shanghai Slim
Anti-Japanese racism is still at a high level here in Shanghai. Last week I had another teenage student burst out in class “I HATE ALL Japanese!” She had to repeat it again more stridently after I said I wanted no such talk in my classroom.
Funny thing is, this girl is a classic “ha-ri” (hope I remembered that term correctly) – Chinese slang for a Chinese person who looks like or imitates Japanese (anime, J-rock, fashion, etc).
October 18, 2005 @ 7:43 am | Comment
11
By lirelou
Slim, back in my younger days I noted that several students who were doing poorly in their studies slipped off into radical politics (of the anti-American variety) and were prone to such outbursts in both class and the hallways. I wonder how your student is doing? Likewise, I wonder how many of those who show up to direct their anger at things Japanese are in essence substituting a permissive target of their anger for deep frustrations within their personal, social, or political lives that cannot be safely voiced.
October 18, 2005 @ 8:44 pm | Comment
12
By ACB
“I’m quite sure that the most of them don’t agree with the backwarded and ignorant behaviour of their government.”
You have been reading too many Chinese newspapers. If you believe that the Japanese government is backwards then you should take a long hard look because Tokyo is doing pretty much what ever other world government (barring Germany) is doing. In fact, Tokyo is actually doing a better job on this issue that both London and Washington are doing in admitting to their war crimes. You obviously don’t know that Japanese courts have preattedly struck down revisionists, including during the recent trial where attempts to clear the hundred head murderers of Nanjing (http://angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com/a_victory_for_history_but_a_moral_defeat_for_chinese_nationa.htm) which could have lead to war crimes marks being removed from two of the worst war criminals in Japnaese history.
October 19, 2005 @ 4:02 am | Comment
13
By Wolf
*sigh*
I TOLD my wife we should have bought the BMW 318i rather than the more sensible Honda Accord. Everytime this happens, it’s back to public transportation.
October 19, 2005 @ 7:44 am | Comment
14
By austin
Getting my camera ready. I guess these riots are different than the booze infused football hooraws of my college days back in the states. Not quite as much fun when you aren’t turning over rich kids cars because we beat Nebraska.
October 21, 2005 @ 12:11 am | Comment