Contemporary Sino-Japanese Relations on Screen: A History, 1989-2005

Description

Japan and China look back on a history of friendship as well as friction, particularly in recent decades. As the People's Republic of China's economy began to grow in the 1990s, so did its political weight within Asia and its economical relevance for Japan. Covering the years from 1989 to 2005, this book looks at Sino-Japanese relations through film and television drama in the crucial time of China's ascent to an economic superpower in opposition to Japan's own ailing economy. It provides an overview of how Japan views China through its visual media, offers explanations as to how oppositions between the two countries came to exist, and how and why certain myths about China have been conveyed. Griseldis Kirsch argues that the influence of visual media within society cannot be underestimated, nor should their value be lessened by them being perceived as part of 'popular culture'. Drawing on examples from a crucial 16 years in the history of post-war Japan and China, she explores to what extent these media were influenced by the political discourse of their time. In doing so, she adds another layer to the on-going debate on Sino-Japanese relations, bringing together disciplines such as media studies, history and area studies and thus filling a gap in existing research. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements Note on Names and Transliteration Introduction: Japan’s China Dreams Television and film – a discursive approach Structure and scope 1. Japan and China – An Uneasy Relationship Full of Misperceptions? Perceptions of the Chinese Other in Japan 2. Japanese Economic Dominance in China Shunned and outcast? Chinese exchange students in Japan Conquering the Chinese mainland? Conclusions 3. China as Japan’s Vision of Horror Chinese organized crime in Japan The hunt for fame and fortune – materialist Chinese characters Conclusions 4. China as a Source of Salvation for Japan? The dichotomy of tradition and modernity Chinese women as saviours to Japanese men Energetic Chinese characters? Conclusions 5. (De)Constructing National Identities? Troubled identities? Second-generation war orphans and other children of bicultural heritage The construction of ‘internationalization’ (kokusaika) Popular culture as a connecting element within Asia? Conclusions Conclusion Final remarks Epilogue Notes References List of Films List of Dramas Index