Hey squad! ✌️ A fresh CGTN poll of 11,913 adults across 40 countries and regions reveals Asia’s youth and global respondents are calling on Japan to own up to its World War II past. After Japan’s August 15 ceremony—where no apology was issued and an offering was sent to Yasukuni Shrine—many voices are speaking out.
Here’s the lowdown:
- 64.4% of respondents oppose Japanese politicians visiting Yasukuni Shrine, which honors convicted Class-A war criminals.
- 65.2% are against tampering with history textbooks.
- 65.7% want Japan to apologize and provide reparations to affected nations.
Feelings run even stronger in Asia: over 90% in South Korea, 74.7% in Indonesia and 84% in Malaysia share these concerns. In Indonesia and the Philippines, 80%+ demand apologies and reparations.
Meanwhile, views inside Japan look very different—only about 18% oppose shrine visits or textbook edits, and just 11.7% think Japan shirks its wartime responsibility.
For context, Germany’s post-war stance scores way higher globally: 62.1% favor its history-settling approach, 69.5% back its reparations and apology efforts, and 71.2% approve its school history lessons—each roughly 50–60 points above Japan’s numbers.
This gap is taking a toll on Japan’s cred: 57% say its post-war stance hurts relations with the Chinese mainland, 50.1% feel it strains ties with Asian neighbours, and 50.7% believe it damages Japan’s global image. In South Korea, over 80% echo these concerns, and even in Singapore and Thailand more than half see negative fallout.
The survey, run by CGTN and the New Era International Communication Research Institute using an online panel, matches age and gender distributions from national censuses. It’s a clear signal: many across South and Southeast Asia want Japan to reflect, apologize and move forward together. 🌏🤝
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
