Representation of Memory of the Second Sino‑Japanese War in Contemporary Chinese and Japanese Media: Factors of Disagreement

Abstract

The Second Sino-Japanese War is one of the most painful chapters in history for both – the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Japan. The memory of this war still sparks serious disputes between the two countries and leads to severe conflicts in their bilateral relations. Considering the significant role of mass media in shaping historical memory, it is intriguing to observe how traumatic historical events are portrayed in the media of the countries involved. The purpose of this study is to identify the main discrepancies and features of memory representation related to the Second Sino-Japanese War in the mass media of China and Japan. After comparing the political and social roles of mass media in the two countries and analyzing media publications related to major war anniversaries the author concludes that the memory of the Second Sino-Japanese War is intertwined with a wide range of contemporary political issues, sometimes exacerbating those unrelated to the war. Under current circumstances, the representation of war’s memory in the media is a key factor contributing to mutual negative attitudes, and it is difficult to envision an improvement in the situation unless each of the countries takes its own steps towards reconciliation.

Keywords

• second sino-japanese war
• historical grievances
• narratives of historical grievances
• historical memory in the media
• transformation of historical memory
• media memory
• mass media and society
• mass media and politics
• political discourse
• japan-china relations