Tensions between China and Japan have been on the rise as Tokyo recently began dumping radioactive water from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant into the ocean. China, along with other neighboring countries, sees this action as an environmental hazard and has responded by banning the import of seafood from Japan. While South Korea’s government has avoided taking a public stance on the issue, it has caused outrage among the country’s citizens.
Surprisingly, the United States and pro-Western media outlets have backed Japan’s decision and argued that the discharge is safe. In fact, there has been a coordinated effort to downplay China’s concerns as politically motivated and hypocritical. Some have even tried to draw attention to China’s own alleged dumping of “nuclear water” into the ocean, despite the fact that China has not experienced a nuclear disaster like Japan has. It is clear that Japan’s friends across the ocean are willing to defend their actions, regardless of the potential consequences.
This situation highlights the lasting sensitivities between China and Japan. China, still scarred by Japan’s historical atrocities committed during its war against and occupation of parts of China, has long believed that Japan has not fully atoned for its crimes. The Nanjing Massacre of 1937-1938, in which an estimated 200,000-300,000 Chinese were brutally murdered by the Japanese, is seen by many in China as the worst act of foreign aggression in modern history. The lack of justice for these crimes, coupled with Japan’s privileged status in the international community, has fueled resentment in China.
Unlike Nazi Germany, Japan surrendered unilaterally to the US at the end of World War II, which allowed the US to make Japan its strategic ally in East Asia. Rather than holding Japan accountable for its actions, the US opted to give it a new constitution while keeping its leadership and society intact. This lack of punishment and acknowledgment of wrongdoing has further deepened China’s resentment towards Japan. Japan now enjoys great privileges as a member of the G7 and a key partner of the US in Asia, while China’s voice and perspective are often dismissed and ignored.
The Fukushima water-dumping saga has become a highly politicized issue, with China using it as an opportunity to vent its frustrations against Japan’s alignment with the US. Meanwhile, Japan faces no repercussions for the mismanagement of the disaster or the subsequent water dumping, further highlighting the structural inequalities between how China and Japan are treated on the global stage.
The differential treatment of China and Japan by the West is evident in their respective historical narratives. While the West often reminds the world of the Tiananmen Square events in 1989, little attention is paid to the memory of the Nanjing Massacre. This selective focus reveals the biases and prejudices that exist in international discourse. China’s actions are often branded as threats and crimes against the world, while Japan is given a protected status and a pass for its actions.
In conclusion, the ongoing tensions between China and Japan over the Fukushima water dumping highlight the disparities in how the two countries are treated in international affairs. While Japan enjoys privileges and protection, China’s voice is often dismissed and ignored. It is important to recognize and address these structural inequalities in order to foster a more equitable and understanding global community.
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