As the 80th anniversary of the 'Sept. 3 Victory Day,' commemorating China's victory over Japan in World War II, approaches, a film dealing with Japan's invasion is gaining popularity in China. As state media promotes 'patriotic films,' anti-Japanese sentiment is on the rise in China, leading to incidents where nationals from both countries are attacked in quick succession, worsening emotions between China and Japan.
According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on the 6th, box office revenue in China during this summer (June to August) exceeded 7.34 billion yuan (approximately 1.4 trillion won) as of 7 p.m. the previous day, with the film 'Nanjing Photo Studio' earning 1.7 billion yuan (approximately 328.3 billion won) within just ten days of its release, making it the top box office film. Over the last weekend, daily revenue surpassed 370 million yuan (approximately 71.5 billion won), marking the highest single-day box office revenue of the summer. This marks the first instance of daily revenue exceeding 200 million yuan, following one of China's biggest hits, 'The Battle at Lake Changjin II.'
Xinhua reported that 43% of the audience was under 25 years old, and a line from the film, 'Film does not lie,' became a meme on social media.
The film follows a photo studio during the Nanjing Massacre, where Chinese individuals risk their lives to secure photos proving the civilian massacre by the Japanese military. The Nanjing Massacre was an incident during the Second Sino-Japanese War when Japanese troops occupied Nanjing, the capital of the Republic of China, and massacred Chinese military prisoners and civilians. Brutal acts such as vivisection and rape were carried out, resulting in countless innocent victims. China commemorates the victims every December 13th.
The state-run People's Daily noted, 'True history always triumphs. Correctly understanding the history of World War II is the cornerstone of world peace,' adding, 'The lessons of history must never be forgotten, and the tragedy must never be repeated.'
On Sept. 18, the anniversary of the outbreak of the Manchurian Incident, the film '731' will be released. The film deals with Japan's Unit 731, which conducted germ warfare and vivisection while invading China. It was originally scheduled for release on July 31 but was postponed. On local film platforms, '731' has become the most anticipated film.
Additionally, the film 'Nest Island,' depicting Chinese fishermen rescuing British prisoners of war trapped on Japanese cargo ships during World War II, is set to release on the 8th, and the documentary film 'Sanheweijing,' chronicling the struggles of Chinese people during the Second Sino-Japanese War, will start screening on August 15th. 'Nest Island' is also set to premiere in the UK, the U.S., and Canada, starting with Australia and New Zealand on the 14th.
The heated atmosphere in theaters is spilling over into anti-Japanese sentiments among citizens. According to local media, on the 31st of last month, a Japanese woman with a child was assaulted by a Chinese man at a subway station in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment after being struck by a stone thrown by the man, who has reportedly been arrested and is under investigation.
Previously, in June of last year, an incident occurred in Suzhou where a Japanese woman waiting for a school bus and her kindergarten son were injured by a weapon wielded by a Chinese man. The Chinese school bus attendant who tried to intervene ultimately lost his life, and the man was sentenced to death for murder earlier this year.
Conversely, a recent incident occurred in Tokyo, Japan, where Japanese individuals assaulted Chinese nationals. According to Japan's Jiji Press, on the 31st of last month, two Chinese men were struck with blunt objects by four Japanese men in the streets of Tokyo. The victims were transported to a hospital for treatment, and their conditions are reportedly stable. The suspects fled in a car after the attack, and the police are analyzing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to track them down.
Diplomatic tensions are also rising. China's state-run Global Times warned on the 4th, 'On the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, Japan must not turn a blind eye to history.' Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided not to issue a 'Postwar Statement,' which reflects on colonial rule and the invasion war every ten years. This decision is seen as a choice for political survival over issuing apologies, especially after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a major setback in the House of Councilors election.