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Slivenko A.E. The image of Japan in Chinese media as a reflection of foreign policy strategy. Eurasian Academic Horizons. 2025; 2(4). Available at: https://eahjournal.ru/PDF/04EAH425.pdf (in Russian).

The image of Japan in Chinese media as a reflection of foreign policy strategy

Slivenko Anastasia Egorovna
State University of Education, Moscow, Russia
E-mail: anastasia062004@gmail.com

Academic adviser: Shakurova Natalya Evgenyevna
Moscow, Russia

Abstract. In contemporary international relations, mass media play a vital role in shaping public perceptions of a country’s foreign policy priorities. This article examines the construction of Japan’s image in Chinese media as an instrument of China’s foreign policy. Media images of states become key players in the media dimension of international relations, while the images of other states, conveyed through the media, reflect current political relations and long-term strategic foreign policy plans. The aim of this work is to demonstrate how media narratives based on historical memory (the Sino-Japanese War, the «comfort women» issue) and current geopolitical contradictions (Taiwan, territorial disputes) construct the image of an «unrepentant aggressor» and a «historical revisionist». This media image serves as a legal justification for a tough foreign policy, consolidating society around the government, and exerting pressure on Japan, including through informal cultural and tourist sanctions. The author emphasizes that the formation of Japan’s image in Chinese media is a tool for implementing China’s foreign policy strategy. This tool operates according to a clearly defined logic, addressing a range of foreign and domestic policy objectives. The media’s portrayal of Japan serves a dual function: internationally, it serves as a tool for demonstrating strength and substantiating China’s claims, and domestically, it serves as a resource for consolidating society and strengthening power. Based on an analysis of media discourse and academic literature, it is concluded that Japan’s media image is an active component of China’s strategy in the context of regional rivalry.

Keywords: China; Japan; media image; historical memory; foreign policy; territorial disputes; Taiwan

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