Japanese netizens break down after comparing China and Japan's drone shows!

On the evening of July 3, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo hosted a drone and fireworks display to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The drone formations created images in the night sky including "Happy 250th Birthday, USA," the American flag, a map of the United States, the bald eagle—the national bird—and even footage of Taro Aso appearing alongside Donald Trump on stage.

This performance left Japanese netizens collectively "emotionally overwhelmed," with many crying out: "So embarrassing!" "I don’t want to remember Taro Aso’s shameful behavior!" "Don’t waste taxpayers’ money on this—it just makes us look like fools to the whole world."

Meanwhile, numerous Japanese netizens began comparing this event to China’s drone shows.

In Shanghai’s Bund, a spectacular display featuring 65,000 drones was officially recognized by Guinness World Records. Using the night sky as a canvas, the performance vividly depicted iconic Chinese cultural symbols such as giant pandas and the Twenty-Eight Mansions (a traditional Chinese star system).

By contrast, what did Japan offer? The U.S. embassy’s drone show centered entirely on celebrating America—featuring the U.S. flag, a U.S. map, the national bird, and a staged “photo-op” between Japan’s Prime Minister and the U.S. President.

Previously, when Trump visited Japan, video of Taro Aso excitedly jumping and spinning around next to Trump had already drawn widespread criticism domestically for being "unbecoming." Now, the same moment has been projected into the sky—using public funds, displaying Japan’s prime minister leaning affectionately toward a foreign president against Tokyo’s night sky. One Japanese netizen sarcastically remarked: "Don’t you feel ashamed?" "It really feels like we’re being seen as fools."

Technologically, China continues to lead in core areas such as drone formation control, centimeter-level precision positioning, AI algorithms, and visual perception. Chinese companies have established a complete industrial chain—from design to assembly—with annual drone production capacity exceeding one million units. Japan lags significantly in this domain, lacking its own large-scale autonomous drone coordination systems and even relying heavily on imports from China for drones used in performances.

Politically, Japan’s drone show is firmly embedded within the framework of the U.S.-Japan alliance. What should have been an opportunity to showcase Japan’s technological and cultural prowess instead turned into a tribute to American independence. After watching it, some American netizens commented: "We bomb them with nuclear weapons, yet they treat us so kindly." Though harsh, this remark reveals a certain reality underlying U.S.-Japan relations.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869835208501255/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author