Interview with Ms. Z

"From what I’ve experienced, most Japanese people don’t really have a full or direct understanding of China. Their impressions mostly come from what they see in the media, and the general attitude I often hear is simply that China is “terrible.” As more Chinese and other foreign tourists have come to Japan, many Japanese people feel crime has increased and that Chinese tourists often behave poorly.

Another part of this comes from Japan’s strong sense of national pride. Many Japanese firmly believe in “Japan First” and see their society as superior. Even though China’s economy has grown rapidly, they often feel that the quality and awareness of Chinese people haven’t kept up with that growth. That’s why there’s still a lot of dislike toward China.

But I believe this will change over time. As China’s economy keeps developing, younger generations will gradually improve in their values and social habits. Maybe in twenty or thirty years, I think we’ll reach a social level that’s comparable to Japan today."