Japan and China Media Analysis

Week One

COLLAPSE

Japan and China are presently involved in a territorial dispute relating to multiple islands in the East China Sea. Japan presently controls the island but China also claims a sovereign right to them. Both nations have vowed to achieve a peaceful resolution but so far none are in sight. The dispute has caused over $340 billion in trade damages and threatens to involve the United States due to its strong alliance and military ties with Japan.

Week 1

New York Times - Jan. 20 Jane Perlez - An article in today's New York Times points out remarks China has made regarding U.S. Secretary of State Clinton's comments on the dispute. The comments involved the U.S. not supporting unilateral action in deciding ownership of the islands. The times attempts to portray China's objection as a result of language translation in the Japanese media which they say slanted the comment in a pro - Japanese way. The article then went into a long series of notes concerning a possible escalation of hostility between the two countries as well as possible U.S. involvement.

BBC - Jan. 22 Today, the BBC released a web article focused around answering general questions regarding the conflict. The article explained that eight uninhabited islands are involved covering a total of 7 sq km. It then details the various claims that each nation has to the territory. This section is most important because coverage seems to be relatively equal with the news agency withholding a bias towards either nation.

Reuters - Jan. 24 Michelle Nichols - Tonight, Reuters offered the perspective of the United Nations on the conflict. In short, the article explains how China's claim to the islands might have scientific backing as it asserts that the islands themselves are a natural extension of the continental shelf around China and therefore a protrusion of the nation itself. The article remains impartial, yet at the end reminds us of the potential for military conflict by mentioned the scrambling of Japanese fighter jets in response to ward of approaching Chinese aircraft.

NBC - Jan. 25 Christopher Bodeen - In a change of tone from other recent coverage, today NBC reported on a letter that was sent from Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. While the letter did not mention the island dispute specifically, it did call for peace between the nations as well as wishes of good health. This article is a decisive change from the sensationalism and implications of possible military conflict that has been present in other recent coverage of the issue.

AlJazeera - Jan. 25 - Today, AlJazeera released an article pointing out recent joint air military exercises between the United States and Japan. The article mainly focuses on the details surrounding the exercises followed by an immediate shift to giving background information about the island dispute. There is never a clear connection drawn, but both are closely included in the same article which seems to apply a connection. The article also waits until the very end to explain that the exercises had been planned long in advance and took place far away from the disputed area. This article seems to be nothing more than an attempt to gain web hits as the title and timing seem a little bit misleading as they imply some sort of recent change to the nature of the Japanese-American military alliance that has been present since the end of WWII.

CNN - Jan. 30 This morning, CNN published an article entitled "How a Rock Split China and Japan." Without even approaching the text, it is clear that the article takes a tone that portrays the conflict as a somewhat juvenile argument. The body of the article goes on to detail the history behind the dispute, followed by coverage of the recent protests in both China and Japan. As the tension escalates, CNN points out that even the Chinese government has called for public protests to be restrained to "rational patriotism." This article grants some idea as to how the American media is painting the dispute, and in this case the clear idea is that it is between two nations and their people acting in a fashion more inclined to children.

Week Two

COLLAPSE

New York Times - Feb. 12. Jane Pearlez - Today, the New York Times released an article discussing how China must react in the face of recent North Korean nuclear testing. This relates to the Island conflict and Japanese-Chinese relations because it will likely mean China will join the U.S. and Japan in supporting U.N. sanctions against North Korea. The article also brings into question the possibility that the United States might deploy a ballistic missile defense system in the South Pacific Region. Although aimed at deterring North Korea, this would also bolster the defenses of Japan against any outside aggressor, including China.

CNN - Feb. 5. CNN Staff - Tonight, CNN posted an article about how the Chinese ambassador to Japan refused to hear Japanese protests about Chinese naval patrols in the disputed area. The article also mentions that China is using new and sophisticated radar technologies to obtain the locations of Japanese military assets in the region.

BBC - Feb. 4 - This week the BBC posted a comparative article focusing on the foundation of hostilities between Japan and China. The article reminds us of the long standing history between the two nations, combined with the more recent development that China will likely overtake Japan economically in the near future. One interesting quote from the article reads "Tensions are high between East Asian neighbors China and Japan. China accuses Japan of failing to repent for historical wrongs, while Japan accuses China of dwelling on the past."

Reuters - Feb. 8 Michael Martina- Tonight, Reuters published an online article describing a new set of military maneuvers being undertaken by both sides near the disputed territories. This includes Japanese anger of China using radar that can be used to target weapons on Japanese military assets. China denied the claim and accused Japan of using similar tactics in the recent past.

NBC - Feb. 8 - Today, Japan has stated that it has proof regarding the use of Chinese "weapons targeting" radar on Japanese forces in the disputed island region. China has denied the claim, but Japan has threatened to release the data in the near future. The article goes on to describe how China is accusing Japan of "playing the victim" in the conflict in order to garner international sympathy and support.

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