Well kanji and emoji both share 「字」(“ji”, https://www.edrdg.org/jmwsgi/entr.py?svc=jmdict&sid=&q=1315130 https://www.edrdg.org/jmwsgi/entr.py?svc=jmdict&sid=&q=

Well kanji and emoji both share 「字」(“ji”, https://www.edrdg.org/jmwsgi/entr.py?svc=jmdict&sid=&q=1315130 https://www.edrdg.org/jmwsgi/entr.py?svc=jmdict&sid=&q=13151...). I don’t think it’s much more significant than that, it’s the same “ji” in romaji which is just the Roman alphabet and even in the west we have pictures that convey meaning such as in traffic signs, DOT pictograms, restroom symbols and emoticons. Good luck with your studies.