The Power Politics Behind Sino-Japanese Identity Politics

Abstract

Following the Senkaku/Diaoyu standoff, Sino-Japanese power politics slowly contributed to the crystallization of antagonistic identities, through the active involvement of state-led communication efforts. An International Relations (IR) Realist framework reassesses orthodox Constructivist accounts on Sino-Japanese identity creation. Within the broader structural picture of great power competition, the Chinese and Japanese elite engaged into a more assertive foreign policy aimed at territorial defense. Central governments enjoy leverage in defining the perimeters of discourse-making, and the nationalistic Abe and Xi administrations have mobilized public opinion following the 2012 crisis scenario. The ensuing propaganda wars fostered a “propaganda dilemma” that reinforced the Japan–China identity chasm. Finally, apart from winning the hearts and minds of international public opinion, the Japanese and Chinese governments sought international support that would reverberate with their respective domestic audiences and legitimize their increasingly rock-solid stances.