Most People Called “Pro-Japan” Are Actually Indifferent

Recently, I often see the words “pro-Japan” or “pro-Japan country” in the news and articles.
On a personal level, hearing these words naturally makes me feel happy. However, at the same time, I sometimes feel that the term is being used too loosely and has started to take on a life of its own.

From a diplomatic perspective, whether another country is friendly or cooperative toward Japan is clearly important. A friendly relationship between governments can lead to mutual benefits, and in that sense, being labeled a “pro-Japan country” does matter for national interests.

But what happens when we look at this issue on the level of ordinary people?

Indifference Is the Real Majority

Through traveling to many countries, I’ve come to realize something important:
Even if a country is described as “pro-Japan,” that doesn’t necessarily mean its people feel warm or positive toward Japanese individuals.

If you think about it calmly, this makes sense. At a glance, people usually cannot tell whether someone is Japanese, Chinese, or Korean—they simply see an East Asian person. While the media sometimes highlights enthusiastic fans of Japan, in everyday life the majority of people feel neither strong affection nor strong dislike toward Japan. In other words, most people are simply indifferent.

The indifference I felt abroad was not hostility.
Japan simply was not something people thought about in their daily lives.

In fact, being viewed as an ordinary country—neither especially admired nor disliked—is not necessarily a bad thing. It may even be a sign of normalcy.

Liking Japanese Culture Does Not Mean Liking Japanese People

Compared to the past, Japanese culture has become very popular worldwide. Anime, Japanese food, and Japanese pop culture have spread across many countries. Sushi, in particular, feels almost fully established in Western societies.

However, enjoying Japanese culture does not automatically mean liking Japanese people.

I once saw a YouTube video in which someone said, “I like sushi, but I don’t like Japanese men because I think many of them are perverted.” I have also met people who said they were interested in Japanese culture but felt that Japanese people were closed-off. These experiences made me realize that cultural popularity does not necessarily translate into a positive evaluation of Japanese people themselves.

Personal Experiences Abroad

Personally, when I travel overseas, I don’t often volunteer my nationality. However, when someone asks where I’m from and I answer “Japan,” some people smile and react positively. That makes me feel that Japan is not viewed negatively overall.

At the same time, because Japanese people are not easily distinguishable from other East Asians, such moments are relatively rare in daily life unless nationality becomes part of the conversation.

Media Bias and Selective Narratives

In Japan, television programs and articles often highlight foreigners praising Japan. On YouTube, interviews with tourists who talk about how wonderful Japan is are extremely common.

However, these programs are created by deliberately selecting people who speak positively about Japan. Negative or critical opinions are rarely shown. From a ratings perspective, this is understandable—such content satisfies the desire of many Japanese people to feel recognized and admired by the outside world.

As Japan has declined from its era of leading the global economy, it is not surprising that this desire for external validation has grown stronger. But repeated exposure to only flattering opinions can gradually distort our perception of reality.

Japan likely does have a generally positive image, otherwise tourism would not have increased so dramatically, nor would repeat visitor rates be so high. Still, carefully edited praise does not represent the full reality.

If we mistake this curated image for the truth, we risk losing a balanced and honest self-understanding.

Accepting Indifference as Reality

Rather than obsessing over whether other countries are “pro-Japan,” it may be healthier to accept the reality that indifference is the norm.

It is also important to think about how we behave abroad as individuals, rather than relying on national reputation alone. Before traveling overseas, watching only “Japan-praise” videos can create unrealistic expectations. Questioning those biases beforehand may help us engage with the world more calmly and realistically.