China Musume: The Invader Came from Beyond the Sea

The saber rattling between China and Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands continues, with China officially canceling a planned event to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations and goodwill between the two countries. I’ve been watching various news programs on the crisis as seen from Japan, which have been interesting. One commentator pointed out that virtually every young person in Chinese urban areas is an only child thanks to the “One Child Policy” in place since 1978; with the Chinese preference for boy children over girls, this means a high number of alpha males with a lot of anger, which fundamentally changes the dynamics of the country’s psychology. Of course, the Senkaku islands aren’t the only potential trouble spot in the region: China has territorial disputes with nearly 20 countries, including the Spratly Islands, which are claimed by China, the Philippines, Brunei, and Vietnam. Back in 1988 actual shooting broke out between China and Vietnam, resulting in the deaths of 70 soldiers on both sides.

There is, naturally, lots of fun “fanart” on Pixiv regarding the Senkaku Islands. This is “China Musume.”