Push Admin

Chinese nationalists celebrate Shinzo Abe shooting online, as some argue feeling happy is the normal reaction

Article (news)

Echo Xie, South China Morning Post

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="People watch news  EPA-EFE/YONHAP" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/07/08/07082022-people-watch-news-epa-efe.jpg"/><figcaption>People watch news on the shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, 08 July 2022. EPA-EFE/YONHAP</figcaption></figure></div><h3>While some social media users expressed sympathy for the former Japanese leader, others celebrated his death and saw him as a symbol of war crimes denialism</h3><h3>The reaction risks damaging China’s image internationally and some analysts say it threatens to complicate Beijing’s diplomatic efforts</h3><p>The assassination of the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has exposed sharp divisions on China’s tightly controlled internet, with many comments on social media celebrating his death.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/07/09/22/chinese-nationalists-attack-reporter-over-emotional-abe-report">Chinese nationalists attack reporter over emotional Abe report</a></li></ul><p>The radical nationalism on show has damaged China’s image internationally and may complicate Beijing’s efforts to improve relations with other countries, commentators warned.</p><p>Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s death shocks Japan and world</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/07/09/22/in-pain-distraught-japan-devastated-by-abe-assassination">&#x27;In pain, distraught&#x27;: Japan devastated by Abe assassination</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/07/08/22/former-japan-pm-abe-killed-in-shooting">Former Japan PM Abe killed in shooting</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/07/08/22/unforgivable-political-terrorism-shooting-of-ex-pm-abe-jolts-japan">&#x27;Unforgivable political terrorism&#x27;: Shooting of ex-PM Abe jolts Japan</a></li></ul><p>Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the nationalistic tabloid Global Times, expressed sympathy for Abe on Chinese social media Weibo on Friday.</p><p>“I feel, at this point, political complexities should be set aside… I hope more people can understand and join me,” Hu said.</p><p>But many Weibo users , who see Abe as representative of a Japanese right-wing in denial about the country’s war crimes, replied with hostile comments.</p><p>“What I regret is that [the assassination] didn’t happen yesterday,” said one commentator, referring to the July 7 anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937, which triggered the full-scale Japanese invasion of China.</p><p>Nationalistic commentator Sima Nan wrote on Weibo that it was a natural for Hu to offer condolences over Abe’s death, but he criticised a Chinese reporter who cried in a video report about the shooting.</p><p>That Japan-based reporter Zeng Ying, who works for online news portal ThePaper.cn, could be heard sobbing in a video report about the shooting and spoke highly of Abe, saying he opened the door to more Chinese tourists in Japan and tried to amend the constitution to be less dependent politically and militarily on the US.</p><p>But Sima said she was wrong to see the proposed changes, which would water down the pacifist nature of the post-war constitution, as a positive, adding: “She has no judgment [over these issues]. I feel regret.”</p><p>Zeng was attacked by mainland online users and she later apologised on her social media account for being “unprofessional” by showing personal emotion on a public platform and “hurting everyone’s feelings”.</p><p>Sima also urged people not to care about what foreigners think. “If we express happiness, foreigners might say we are ruthless and lack humanitarian spirit… but we should do whatever we want,” he said.</p><p>Another nationalistic blogger known as Guyanmuchan, who has over 6.4 million followers on Weibo and was named as an “internet ambassador” by Guangdong province last year, said people should reflect on why so many people in China were toasting Abe’s death.</p><p>“Sorry, we normal Chinese don’t feel sympathy for Abe. As a Japanese politician who was hostile to China and was killed by another Japanese, feeling happy should be the reaction of a normal Chinese,” Guyanmuchan said in a post on Friday.</p><p>“Hatred of the West and polarisation among Chinese over certain issues have existed in China for a long time, but the hostile comments over Abe’s death have greatly damaged China’s image,” said one political scientist, who declined to be named for the sensitivity of the issue.</p><p>“It is very nasty. The whole world is grieving the death of the assassinated politician.”</p><p>Nationalism has been on the rise in China over the past decade, intensified by the increasing tensions between China and the West in recent years.</p><p>Anti-Japanese sentiment has been rife on social media since 2012, when protests took place in multiple Chinese cities after Tokyo nationalised a group of islands China also claims, former Tsinghua University political lecturer Wu Qiang said.</p><p>This trend overlapped Abe’s second term as prime minister, Wu said, adding: “Basically he’s targeted at the opposite of China’s xenophobic, anti-Japanese and anti-American sentiments.”</p><p>Chinese nationalists also criticised Abe over his support for Taiwan, his grandfather’s role in the Japanese occupation of China and his visits to the Yasukuni Shrine which honours Japanese war criminals.</p><p>In a virtual speech on Taiwan-Japan relations last year, Abe warned that there would be serious consequences if China took military action against the island.</p><p>Political scientists said the increasing nationalistic sentiment may put China on a dangerous path.</p><p>“The Chinese authorities don’t want to see rampant nationalistic sentiment, which may affect China’s intention of easing relations with Japan and the US” Wu said.</p><p>“Easing relations is critical for Beijing, especially after the Ukraine war. But the radical nationalist reaction [to Abe’s assassination] seem kind of out of control.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2113447" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The assassination of the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has exposed sharp divisions on China’s tightly controlled internet, with many comments on social media celebrating his death.

Chinese nationalists celebrate Shinzo Abe shooting online, as some argue feeling happy is the normal reaction

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Overseas

Chinese nationalists celebrate Shinzo Abe shooting online, as some argue feeling happy is the normal reaction

Echo Xie,

South China Morning Post

Published July 10, 2022 05:56 AM PHT

Read More:

shinzo abe

japan

scmp

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.