Calm Memorial Day

Have the Chinese forgiven Japan’s “aggression” eighty-two years ago? On the day a blast of train, or Liutiaohu Incident, triggered Manchurian Incident in 1931, there seemed to be no major protest of Chinese citizens against Japan on Thursday, while violent mobs spread all over the country last year. This calmness proved that the civil movements in China had been strictly controlled by the government. It is unclear how ordinary people in China are really frustrated with current activities of Japanese government.

Liutiaohu Incident is recognized as a conspiracy by the Imperial Army of Japan to create a cause to offend and occupy Manchuria located in northeast China. Attributing the incident to Chinese protestors, the Army decided to increase the deployment in the region and occupied some cities including Shenyang. The incident was the beginning of Japan’s penetration to continental China and the Pacific War. It is the memorial day for the Chinese, remembering humiliation against Imperial Japan.

A year ago, there occurred a number of mobs in cities all over China, appealing that they would not tolerate Japan’s “aggression” again. It actually was one week after Japanese government’s purchase of Senkaku Islands last year. Stores were destroyed, the flags of Japan were burnt, and Japanese in China were put in a situation like a curfew. The windows of the Japan’s Consulate General in Shanyang were broken by hurled stones.

This year, cities were calm and few protestors were seen in the streets. Chinese government raised the level of restriction on writings for inducing protests on webpage. Demonstration in streets and in front of facilities of government of Japan or major industries were cleared by police. Those phenomena showed that the Government of China could avoid turmoil last year, if they would be willing to do.

One reason is that Chinese officials recognized the negative impact of anti-Japan movement on the domestic stability. They have a cause to allow protest last year, which was to let people see outside of China until transition of power from Hu Jintao to Xi Jinping. After Xi Jinping administration embarked on taking its own agenda, excessive anti-Japan sentiment proved to be harmful for maintaining his regime.

Secondly, prolonged deterioration in Japan-China relationship is causing further negative impact on Chinese economy. In fact, a lot of Japanese investors retreated from Chinese business after anti-Japan movement had grown a year ago.

After all, China’s assertion over Senkaku Islands is based on a unilateral reason for stabilizing its society. The Japanese hope that Chinese leaders are smart enough not to be motivated to take a doctrine of pre-emptive attack as in the context of unilateral security policy taken by George W. Bush.