Sino-Japanese relations seen through the eyes of their youth : moving towards reconciliation?

Abstract

Today’s Sino-Japanese relations continue to be dominated by territorial disputes and a range of grievances related to Japan’s colonial past. Despite there is no open conflict between China and Japan, the two countries maintain normal diplomatic relations and have strong economic interdependence, almost 70 years after the end of the war, reconciliation has not been achieved. Socio-emotional barriers and trust issues still hinder the relations between the two communities. This article seeks to bring in a better understanding of how the young generations in the two countries perceive their counterparts’ nation and of the challenges that they will face towards achieving reconciliation. By presenting the results of a series of questionnaires circulated among university students in Japan and China, this article discusses the understanding that young students have of the other country, of history issues and of the ongoing territorial disputes, and it discusses which are the key factors in shaping their perceptions.