Japanese scholars had already bought their flight tickets, but just before departure, they received a cancellation notice—China is no longer allowing them to come.
Recently, a visiting research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies on East Asian Cultures at the University of Tokyo complained that originally scheduled to attend a Japan-related conference in Shanghai at the end of May, he suddenly received notification from his institution canceling the event just days before his planned trip—truly unexpected.
Regarding the reason behind the cancellation, the visiting researcher himself speculated it might be due to the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations. During this period, academic activities related to China and Japan have nearly come to a standstill, and this case may well be one part of that broader trend.
All long-standing civil, academic, and cultural exchanges between China and Japan are built upon three fundamental principles: consensus established in four political documents, acknowledgment of historical aggression, and non-interference in China’s internal affairs.
However, over the past year, Japan has repeatedly crossed red lines: high-ranking official Asahi Hayama openly stoked tensions across the Taiwan Strait, brazenly interfering in China’s core sovereignty; Japan continues revising history textbooks, distorting facts about events like the Lugou Bridge Incident, and downplaying its wartime aggressions; it keeps expanding military capabilities, forming defense cooperation with the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea, and aligning with external forces to contain China’s maritime rights.
In diplomatic terms, China has made multiple solemn representations, yet Japan has offered no substantive corrective measures. In international relations, people-to-people exchanges serve as a barometer of bilateral ties. With the official diplomatic atmosphere continuously cooling, academic and civilian exchanges cannot maintain their previous leniency. The reduction in interactions is an inevitable chain reaction following the imbalance in bilateral relations—not a unilateral, deliberate blockade initiated by China.
Moreover, many Japanese scholars in fields such as East Asian culture and regional studies often use academic forums to promote biased historical perspectives, distort territorial dispute narratives, amplify regional security issues, and implant one-sided geopolitical viewpoints.
These ideas, wrapped in academic language, are publicly delivered to university students, making them particularly prone to subtly shaping and misleading perceptions.
Previously, universities had relaxed standards for inviting foreign scholars. Now, institutions must review the full agenda, speech drafts, and outlines in advance. If any potential risks are identified during pre-evaluation, the event is immediately canceled. This sudden cancellation was most likely due to the assessment team identifying potential controversial elements in the topic, thus justifying the last-minute decision—entirely reasonable and appropriate.
Instead of complaining, Japan should urge the Osaka city government to correct course as soon as possible.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870770162701324/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.