Japanese and Chinese Young People Struggle to Get Along
Many Chinese young people are fascinated with Japanese manga and anime. But their grandparents suffered at the hands of the Japanese during the 1937-1945 invasion of Japan into China.
Japanese young people say their government has apologized repeatedly.
Chinese young people say the apology is not sincere.
Japanese government officials visit the Yasunkuni Shrine, resting place for Class A war criminals of Japan.
Chinese people say – Look! See! They are not sincere."
The Japanese soccer team beat host China in the 2004 Asian Cup.
The Chinese fans repsonded in a very sincere and unsportsmanlike boo fest.
Japanese young people say the Chinese are educated anti-Japanese as part of the ‘patriotic education’ of the Communist party.
Chinese young people recall horror stories told to them by their grandparents.
Japanese young people say that Japan gave aid to China after the war.
chinese young people say that history should not be forgotten.
Politicians in both countries make it extremely difficult for the young people in each country to try to get along.
The young people of both countries let out a big ’sigh!’
Can’t we all just get along?
What do you think?
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August 8, 2006
probably every country has done something that does was regrettable or hard to get over. history should not be forgotten, but people need to move on sometime.
August 9, 2006
i dont agree with everybody who always say that WE HAVE TO KNOW OUR HISTORY & IT SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN… it would be a whole lot easier for all the nations to get along if we just got out from the past to live in the day & for the future. there would be less racists, & hate between the nations. ALL the countries that have been a part of some war, they have killed & robbed & done every kind of cruel things to other people & EVEN TO ANIMALS & ofcourse nobody can forget those awful things, but if NOBODY forgave, we didnt get along AT ALL. besides—-YOU CANT BLAME MURDERERS KIDS FOR THEIR ANCHESTERS CRIMES, COZ THEY WERE NOT PART OF IT!!!so please people—get over it & get along! maybe you will be surprised to meet some nice people!(maybe even nicer than some from your own nation:)PEACE!
August 9, 2006
Have you said Manga? But this can get continents together, not only countries. They will get along. After all the shape of their eyes is almost the same.
August 10, 2006
Being from the U.S. it’s hard to comment on this but it’s definately an interesting article. I always wondered how the two different countries reacted to each other and I guess I now understand a little more. I agree with the above though… I mean Japan blew up Pearl Harbor and the U.S. dropped an A-Bomb on two cities in Japan in revenge. Alot of people died in wars but if we continue to think that the people in those countries are the same as they “were” yesterday, then we will never live today, much less tomorrow.
Hopefully things move on… but unfortunately if it hasn’t yet – it may not for a VERY long time.
August 10, 2006
I think that it is important for cultures to pay hommage to their past and the people that died fighting for them. I also think that they should look to the future and not allow sour relationship in their history dictate new realtionships. I think that the young people are raised to hate the japanese, and it’s a shame. We in the US know that the war practices of our government do not always reflect what the people wants. Chinese young people should not hold the was against the people of Japan. It was their governments decision to go to war. The young people of today were not even born yet.
August 14, 2006
Well after reading thid i think that the chinese need to let it go. i understand that they want to hold on to their past but it was years ago. different countries have done stupid things to other countries. they have moved on and got over it.