Why This Topic Landed in Japan

The spark was the gap between the reported numbers and what Japanese net users feel to be true. According to the report, a survey of 500 people in each country by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry found 69.8% of Koreans and 59.8% of Japanese in favor of an EU-style economic community, and 44.8% of Japanese in favor of passport-free travel between the two countries using ID cards alone. Japan-Korea relations are among the most flammable topics on Japanese matome sites, and a claim that "60% of Japanese are in favor" clashed head-on with the prevailing online mood — instantly redirecting the conversation toward the survey's credibility, its Korean business-lobby sponsor, and suspicions of opinion manipulation. Note that the survey's original design and sampling could not be independently verified.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Distrust of the survey itself — The most common reaction questioned who was polled and by whom, treating the numbers as unrepresentative or manufactured.
  • "No benefit for Japan" — Many flatly rejected the idea on cost-benefit grounds, arguing an economic community would be a one-way transfer from Japan.
  • Security and public-safety worries — The passport-free travel proposal drew warnings about illegal overstays and espionage, with calls for an anti-spy law.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

The survey claiming 60% of Japanese back an economic community

A Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry poll reportedly found majorities in both countries favor an EU-style Japan-Korea economic community.

Sources: Yahoo! news, YONHAP NEWS AGENCY

谷口 さとし　江東区
谷口 さとし　江東区
@gussan19750628
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何抜かしてんだ？ メリットがあるのは韓国で日本にはデメリットしかねーだろ！ 竹島返してお願いしてこい。 話はそれからだ。 あと、日本で生活保護で暮らしてる在日を全員引き取ってくれ。

由美
由美
@MagnoliaAliceF

EU型の韓日経済共同体　韓国国民7割が「必要」＝日本も6割賛成(聯合ニュース) 「パスポートなしに身分証明書だけで両国を往来できるようにする方策」なんて日本にとって大きなデメリットしかないので絶対に反対です。 news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e4ece…

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Comments:

  • "Another opinion-manipulation operation by the payoku, huh." (payoku: net slang for leftists)
  • "Public Security Intelligence Agency: [Disinformation via 'news sites'] In recent years, 'news sites' dressed up to look like they are run by news organizations have been identified on the internet. Some of these 'news sites' posing as media outlets are pointed out to be operated by Chinese companies. These 'news sites' are said to spread disinformation by slipping it in among reposted articles from local media."
  • "No thanks, we're fine. There's no benefit whatsoever for Japan."
  • "This is exactly a rerun of the annexation of Korea, which was forced on us to block Russia's southward advance. They'll just start saying they were colonized again, so no thank you."
  • "Taiwan would be fine, but Korea? No way."
  • "Korea has North Korean and Chinese spies getting arrested practically every year, so wouldn't spies come in via Korea? We need an anti-spy law."
  • "They probably polled LDP members."
  • "Could you first stop blocking Japanese seafood before saying this? lol"
  • "Then could you stop cozying up to us?"
  • "No thank you."