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>We need to let Japan know that this is not their fault. It's ingrained in Japanese culture that they often put too much pressure on themselves. I can't help b

>We need to let Japan know that this is not their fault. It's ingrained in Japanese culture that they often put too much pressure on themselves. I can't help but think this is such a bizarre take. "Japan" and the Japanese people aren't children. We don't need to reassure "them" of anything, as if their culture collectively precludes them of realizing that the Coronavirus isn't "their fault". As if they're too naive and caught up in same bushido notion of honor and dignity. A quick few moments on Japanese Twitter around news of the virus will show the intense xenophobia[0][1], with highly liked/retweeted posts directed almost entirely at Koreans and Chinese people, and praising Trump calling it the "Chinese virus". I know Twitter isn't representative of the Japanese population, but I'm highly skeptical of the idea that "Japan" is down in the dumps, thinking they only could have done better for the olympics. From what I can gather, a large chunk of the Japanese population didn't want the olympics anyway. [0] From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_incidents_of_xenophobia_and_racism_related_to_the_2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic#Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_incidents_of_xenophobi... [1] A quick search of the trending tag "#ChineseDontComeToJapan" and the corresponding Japanese-language tag "#中国人は日本に来るな" and related posts (example of a popular anti-Chinese people post: https://twitter.com/mobirufosugang2/status/1239179922494480384 https://twitter.com/mobirufosugang2/status/12391799224944803... - other posts in the thread emphasize the beauty of Kyoto without "Chinese and Koreans")

taiwanboy 7y ago
I think there is nothing wrong with calling the virus ‘Chinese virus’ when a.) the virus came from China. b.) the Chinese government proactively hid the details of the coronavirus to the world until it couldn’t anymore (since it started infecting other countries https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/17/china-cared-more-about-suppressing-information-than-suppressing-virus-thats-why-were-here/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/17/china-car... c.) actively trying to pin the origin of the virus on other countries like Italy https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/fo5lrq/italian_scientist_remuzzi_replies_to_ccps/ https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/fo5lrq/italian_s... and US
- claudiawerner 7y ago
  I do think there's something wrong with it, when the WHO advises to use the terms they have laid out precisely to prevent racism-fuelled hysteria. The fact that "China virus" may be accurate in line with terms such as "Spanish flu" does not mean that they should be used, as explained in this[0] post. Calling it "China virus" is no substitute for the criticism the Chinese government deserves. If you want to criticize the Chinese government (and you should), then there are better ways of doing so, ways which won't be confused by anyone as anti-Chinese racism, which has been shown in various countries to generalize to anti-East Asian racism. [0] "Why is Trump dubbing COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” considered offensive, while many past epidemics have had similar naming schemes?" https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/51121/why-is-trump-dubbing-covid-19-as-the-chinese-virus-considered-offensive-while https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/51121/why-is-tr...
- monkeywork 7y ago
  There is something immensely wrong with it because unfortunately people don't see a difference between the Chinese government and the Chinese people. This is going to greenlight those who are looking for reasons to lash out with their hate and puts those who are or could be confused as Chinese in danger from these idiots. There is also a need to be above petty name calling. It is fine to take a scientific and fact based stance on where the virus originated from and what went wrong... however naming it based on country of origin out of spite seems like a bad idea. A joke of maybe poor taste says that your mom was conceived in the back seat of a Buick but we still call her Janice.
  - spacehunt 7y ago
    > people don't see a difference between the Chinese government and the Chinese people Which is entirely the Chinese government's doing. They have been pushing the narrative that they represent the entire ethnic Chinese race for a long time. Unfortunately many ethnic Chinese people welcomed this narrative -- even though they are citizens of other countries -- because it profited them as China's economic power rose. The current crisis reminds them that they can't have it both ways.

taiwanboy 7y ago

I think there is nothing wrong with calling the virus ‘Chinese virus’ when a.) the virus came from China. b.) the Chinese government proactively hid the details of the coronavirus to the world until it couldn’t anymore (since it started infecting other countries https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/17/china-cared-more-about-suppressing-information-than-suppressing-virus-thats-why-were-here/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/17/china-car... c.) actively trying to pin the origin of the virus on other countries like Italy https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/fo5lrq/italian_scientist_remuzzi_replies_to_ccps/ https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/fo5lrq/italian_s... and US

claudiawerner 7y ago
I do think there's something wrong with it, when the WHO advises to use the terms they have laid out precisely to prevent racism-fuelled hysteria. The fact that "China virus" may be accurate in line with terms such as "Spanish flu" does not mean that they should be used, as explained in this[0] post. Calling it "China virus" is no substitute for the criticism the Chinese government deserves. If you want to criticize the Chinese government (and you should), then there are better ways of doing so, ways which won't be confused by anyone as anti-Chinese racism, which has been shown in various countries to generalize to anti-East Asian racism. [0] "Why is Trump dubbing COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” considered offensive, while many past epidemics have had similar naming schemes?" https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/51121/why-is-trump-dubbing-covid-19-as-the-chinese-virus-considered-offensive-while https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/51121/why-is-tr...
monkeywork 7y ago
There is something immensely wrong with it because unfortunately people don't see a difference between the Chinese government and the Chinese people. This is going to greenlight those who are looking for reasons to lash out with their hate and puts those who are or could be confused as Chinese in danger from these idiots. There is also a need to be above petty name calling. It is fine to take a scientific and fact based stance on where the virus originated from and what went wrong... however naming it based on country of origin out of spite seems like a bad idea. A joke of maybe poor taste says that your mom was conceived in the back seat of a Buick but we still call her Janice.
- spacehunt 7y ago
  > people don't see a difference between the Chinese government and the Chinese people Which is entirely the Chinese government's doing. They have been pushing the narrative that they represent the entire ethnic Chinese race for a long time. Unfortunately many ethnic Chinese people welcomed this narrative -- even though they are citizens of other countries -- because it profited them as China's economic power rose. The current crisis reminds them that they can't have it both ways.