A replacement airbag inflator made in China sprayed metal fragments when it deployed, and US regulators have now tied it to an 11th death. Japanese users reacted with alarm, comparing the defect to a shotgun or a landmine and recalling the earlier Takata recall.
A video of a Chinese EV bursting into flames and one of a bipedal robot shattering after a fall spread across Japanese boards as the familiar 'China Kaboom' meme. Alongside the mockery, skeptics noted the car's hood was open and the charging cable did not look connected, and pointed out that other makers' EVs have caught fire too — while the maker said the car had skipped proper inspection after an earlier crash.
China's momentum in cutting-edge tech and entertainment — rooftop mist cooling that sharply lowers temperatures, and a thriving robot-fighting scene — drew attention in Japan. At the same time, a large mountain collapse in Chongqing that buried apartment blocks, plus gadgets that fake welds, exposed deep distrust of quality and safety. The 'light and shadow' contrast became the focus.