Oral Critique Writeup

Eva-WANG Yiwen
Part I
The article Can Pop Culture Allay Resentment? Japan’s Influence in China Today
investigates the influence of Japanese pop culture on Chinese young adults and its
potential to alleviate historical resentment between the two countries. By conducting
interviews with 40 Chinese and Japanese young adults, Wu (2021) examines how
contemporary pop culture and historical war memories shape the sentiments of
Chinese young adults towards Japan. The article critically compares the national
images of China and Japan, recognizing that Japan has successfully projected a
favorable image despite its militaristic past. It explores the historical relationship
between the two countries, including wartime conflicts and atrocities committed by
Japan. Despite the efforts in China to preserve the traumatic memory of the war,
Japanese pop culture has gained immense popularity among Chinese youth. The
article suggests that Japanese pop culture consumption provides a sense of affiliation
with an apolitical and nonserious sphere, thereby contributing to a favorable
perception of Japan. However, this positive influence through Japan's soft power
appears to have been exaggerated to the point where the article barely touches on the
Chinese government's policies and stringent censorship of Japanese popular culture.
This review will discuss the overemphasised and underemphasised ideas in the article
and suggest some extensions for future research.

Part II
An idea that seems to be excessively stressed in this article is Japanese pop culture
has the potential to completely alleviate historical resentment between China and
Japan. Indeed, Japanese pop culture has garnered popularity in China and has played a
role in improving Japan's perception among certain Chinese individuals. However, it
is crucial to acknowledge that pop culture has its limitations in addressing long-
standing historical grievances and political tensions between nations. Pop culture,
functioning as a kind of influential force, may certainly shape attitudes and views.
However, it should not be seen as a cure-all for intricate historical and geopolitical
matters (Madichie, 2020). The article does not extensively explore the counter-
narratives or voices that may challenge the idea of Japanese pop culture completely
alleviating historical resentment. It would be valuable to include perspectives from
individuals who may remain skeptical or critical of the influence of Japanese pop
culture, especially those who emphasize the importance of acknowledging and
addressing historical injustices.

One idea that appears to be underemphasized in this article is the role of government
policies and censorship in shaping the consumption and perception of Japanese pop
culture in China. While the article briefly mentions the Chinese government's efforts
to promote Chinese language and culture globally through Confucius Institutes, it
does not thoroughly explore the possible consequences of government influence on
the popularity and reception of Japanese pop culture. China has a track history of
enforcing censorship and imposing limitations on several types of media, including
overseas entertainment (Chen et al., 2023). It would be beneficial to investigate
whether the Chinese government actively intervenes in the dissemination of Japanese
popular culture, especially in response to politically or historically sensitive topics.
This could involve analyzing instances of content modification, censorship of
particular anime series or films, and restrictions on certain themes that may be
deemed politically sensitive or in conflict with the government's agenda. Such
government interventions could considerably impact the Chinese youth's exposure to
and interpretation of Japanese popular culture, thereby influencing their perceptions
and attitudes toward Japan.

Part III
The article effectively discusses the growing popularity of Japanese pop culture in
China, however it might explore the economic aspects that contribute to this
phenomena in future research. The Chinese market presents significant opportunities
for Japanese entertainment industries (Katsumata, 2011), and it would be valuable to
explore the strategies employed to cater to Chinese audiences. Possible research areas
include the examination of partnerships between Chinese and Japanese production
businesses, the modification of popular Japanese material to suit the Chinese market,
or the customization of Japanese media to better appeal to Chinese consumers.
Moreover, doing an analysis of the economic ramifications resulting from the
involvement of Chinese consumers in Japanese pop culture, including the purchase of
items, travel, and investments in associated sectors, would provide a more all-
encompassing comprehension of the underlying dynamics.

Additionally, it is crucial to explore the role of social media platforms in shaping

perceptions and attitudes of Chinese young adults. The article mostly examines the
impact of Japanese pop culture on Chinese youths via conventional media platforms,
including anime, films, and music. The role of popular social media platforms like
Weibo and Bilibili in the dissemination of Japanese popular culture and in influencing
the perceptions of young people could be the subject of a future study. Weibo,
Bilibili, and Tiktok also emerged as important platforms for the distribution and
consumption of popular culture material. For instance, Bilibili, one of the biggest
video platforms in China and what is now recognized as ‘China’s YouTube,’ was
initially founded as a fandom community for a virtual Japanese character Hatsune
Miku (Wu, 2021). Future research could discusses how social media platforms
amplify or alter the impact of Japanese pop culture, and the role of online
communities and fan culture in shaping perceptions.

Word Count: 830

 References
Chen, X., Xie, J., Wang, Z., Shen, B., & Zhou, Z. (2023). How We Express Ourselves
Freely: Censorship, Self-censorship, and Anti-censorship on a Chinese Social
Media. Springer Nature Switzerland, Vol 13972, pp. 93-108.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28032-0_8
Katsumata, H. (2012). Japanese popular culture in East Asia: a new insight into
regional community building. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific,
12(1), 133–160. https://doi.org/10.1093/irap/lcr011
Madichie, N. O. (2020). Oppan Gangnam style! A series of accidents – place
branding, entrepreneurship and pop culture. Journal of Research in Marketing
and Entrepreneurship, 23(1), 103–121. https://doi.org/10.1108/jrme-02-2019-
0011
National Bureau of Statistics of China. (2019). China Statistical Yearbook 2019.
Www.stats.gov.cn. http://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/ndsj/2019/indexeh.htm
Tanaka, M. (2014). Trends of fiction in 2000s Japanese pop culture. Electronic
Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies, 14(2), 1–20.
Wu, Y. (2021). Can Pop Culture Allay Resentment? Japan’s Influence in China
Today. Media and Communication, 9(3), 112–122.
https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v9i3.4117
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