China and Korea's Criticism of Japan Hardens Online Distrust

Why This Topic Landed in Japan

Four distinct East Asian diplomatic stories spread on the same day and fused into a single narrative of "China and Korea ganging up on Japan": China branding Japan a "new militarist" state, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung demanding an apology, a report that Japan would back South Korea's bid to join the TPP, and a 30-year prison sentence for former President Yoon. Each landed on years of accumulated distrust over history, reparations, and security, so criticism from neighbors was instantly consumed as "meddling" or "rehashing settled matters." Heightened interest in the Takaichi government's external posture sharpened the backlash further. These are separate events, however, and treating them as one coordinated offensive overstates the connection.

Key Reaction Themes

• "Look who's talking" — Mockery that a nuclear-armed, war-experienced China would call an unarmed Japan "militarist."
• "The money question is closed" — Korea's apology demand dismissed as "already settled by the claims agreement" and "just asking for money," with calls to cut ties.
• Skepticism toward the TPP report — Many read the "Japan supports Korea's bid" story as a poor fit or outright clickbait, not a real policy.
• Judicial comparison — Yoon's heavy sentence drew grudging praise that "Korea's judiciary is sound," set against Japan's own political corruption.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

China's "new militarism" criticism

China called Japan a "new militarist" state, and commenters answered with "the invader nation is the last one who gets to say that."

Sources:

中国「日本は新型軍国主義だ！！」　→アジア各国「(頭おかしいんじゃねぇかアイツ)」

Comments:

• "China, an invader nation, is the last country that gets to say that."
• "A country that hasn't fought a single war in 80 years being called militarist by one that's fought several — give me a break, lol."
• "As if there's a 'new' or 'old' type of militarism, lol."
• "Japan doesn't even have a military."
• "They say it on purpose, as a pretext for taking military action against Japan. If North Korea and Russia can frame things as 'anti-militarism,' it gets easier to operate militarily around Japan."
• "They just want to coin some buzzword to neutralize Japan. Hold Japan down and you can take hegemony in Asia."
• "Honestly surprised North Korea didn't say it first."
• "I don't think any country — China and Russia included — actually believes Japan would start a war."
• "They made Japanese soldiers too strong in their anti-Japanese dramas, so the Chinese are genuinely scared."

South Korean president's demand for an apology

President Lee Jae-myung's "I don't want money, just apologize" was waved off as "to summarize: give us money."

Sources:

韓国大統領、高市早苗にブチギレ「金はいらないからもう二度と侵略しないと誓い、心からの謝罪をしろ」

Comments:

• "'If you want to get along' — yeah, I don't particularly want to, though."
• "That's a matter the claims agreement already settled."
• "To summarize: give us money."
• "Then hurry up and cut ties already."
• "But if we apologize, you'll just demand reparations, right?"
• "It's obvious they have no intention of ever forgiving us — the plan is to never forgive and make us do whatever they say, forever."
• "It was settled irreversibly."
• "Are they angry because we won't do a currency swap and the won is crashing?"
• "They should just use this statement as grounds to suspend Japan–Korea shuttle diplomacy indefinitely."

Report that Japan will back South Korea's TPP bid

A report that Japan would support South Korea joining the TPP drew skepticism and "clickbait" suspicion.

Sources: 【独自】韓国、TPP加盟申請へ　下旬に表明、日本支持|47NEWS（よんななニュース） 日本、韓国のTPP加盟を支持へ

Comments:

• "Honestly, a TPP locked down tight with rules is a terrible fit for South Korea. Even if they manage to join, they probably won't get anywhere near the preferential treatment they expect and will end up in trouble."
• "Nobody needs the TPP except the US and Japan."
• "They clearly don't understand the membership conditions at all, lol. It's not on the level of Japan 'supporting' them — this is a clickbait misfire by the trash media, no doubt."
• "Nothing's been resolved and relations haven't improved, so what on earth are we doing."
• "That was cooked up by pro-Korea lawmakers. On the TPP, Korea's been saying for a while that it wants in, and even China is wagging its tail and fawning over Japan. But right now we're in a crisis where we must unite against China, so pulling Korea in and putting them in our debt is one option — though of course, letting in a China ruled by that fool dictator Xi Jinping is out of the question."
• "If joining the TPP lets us bind South Korea with the 'three digital principles,' maybe it's worth a little thought — Korea-related stories like the LINE data leaks (customer data kept on Korean servers, etc.) are full of nasty surprises."
• "Every last one of them, fools rushing headlong into globalism. Korea's politics has become a lapdog of big business too."
• "Japan really is so obliging, you know — no matter what any country says to us, we never actually get angry. Just in the last few days the Korean president moved the goalposts again, yet the lefties who hate Japan as 'right-wing,' calling us arrogant, contemptuous, not humble enough, pile on every complaint; the lefties who blame Japan for everything and pour their energy into dismantling Japan. Look, if you hate it that much, just go to China or North Korea or Korea or some other country."

A 30-year sentence for former President Yoon

South Korea's heavy sentence for ex-President Yoon prompted "Korea's judiciary is sound," contrasted with Japan's political corruption.

Sources: 韓国の尹前大統領に懲役30年、北朝鮮への無人機事件（ＡＦＰ＝時事） - Yahoo!ニュース 韓国のユン前大統領に懲役30年判決

Comments:

• "That's basically a life sentence…"
• "South Korea is sound, actually. Japan's judiciary should learn from this."
• "If this looks 'sound' to you, then go live in South Korea."
• "A country where someone like '2F' (Nikai) rakes in billions in slush funds and never gets caught is hardly sound. On that point, South Korea properly arrests politicians for their crimes — there it's above Japan."
• "Well, this guy kind of had it coming — he went and declared something like martial law on his own."
• "The current president has four prior convictions, doesn't he?"
• "Seriously, it's wild that nobody but Moon Jae-in has met a decent end."
• "These people are always doing their dynastic-revolution thing."