CHINESE MEDIA CRITICIZE JAPANESE TV SERIES VIVANT

BEIJING, OCTOBER 29 /SRNA/ - Chinese media have criticized the Japanese TV series Vivant for what they described as an inadequate portrayal of China and historical narratives.

The second season of the Japanese television series Vivant, which stars well-known Japanese actors and was produced on a large budget, is airing on TBS and attracting considerable public attention. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is also reportedly following the series, the China Media Group /CMG/ said. Although viewership has remained high, the series' content has drawn criticism from Chinese media. The series portrays a Chinese secret organization as "backward," which, according to the author, creates a contrast with Japanese intelligence services, which are depicted as more advanced. Some scenes show Chinese intelligence officers cutting off fingers and stabbing Japanese agents in the stomach. The author argues that these portrayals are reminiscent of the torture methods used by the Japanese military against Chinese fighters during the war, and claims that the series distorts historical facts and fuels hostility toward China, CMG reported. The article also criticizes the portrayal of Japanese forces operating abroad and what it describes as the blurring of the limits of their authority. Opinions among Japanese viewers on the series are divided. While some believe it fuels hostility toward China, others point to what they see as a double standard in criticism of Japanese films. They compare the series with the Chinese productions 731 and Dead to Rights, as well as films and television series about the Nanjing Massacre, which they consider anti-Japanese. The author of the article distinguishes these productions from Vivant, arguing that films such as the two mentioned above are based on historical events and depict atrocities committed during Japanese aggression in order to preserve the memory of the victims and prevent such tragedies from happening again. The criticism also extends to Japan's policy toward its historical legacy. The article notes that Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allocated more than 56 billion yen, or nearly 2.4 billion yuan, since 2015 to activities described as "disseminating strategic information overseas". The authors characterize these activities as attempts to distort the history of Japanese aggression against China. The article also states that Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs included dedicated funding in its budget request for fiscal year 2027 to use artificial intelligence in responding to "cognitive warfare". According to the author, the plan includes developing a government system based on large language models of American origin, which would be used to communicate with foreign audiences. The author expressed concern that such technologies could be used to promote disputed historical narratives. CMG reports that the article also criticizes certain actions by Japanese right-wing groups concerning history textbooks. Examples include softening terms referring to Japanese aggression in China, replacing the term "Nanjing Massacre" with "Nanjing Incident," and attempts to justify Japanese war criminals. The author argues that narratives about the "China threat" are being used to justify constitutional changes and Japan's military buildup, while Japan is simultaneously seeking to portray itself primarily as a victim of the Second World War, the statement said. In this context, the article links the portrayals in Vivant to broader disputes over historical memory, textbooks and the use of artificial intelligence in public communications. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recently stated, according to the article: "There is absolutely no such thing as `China attacking Japan`. It is clear that it was Japan that started the war, resulting in tens of millions of deaths," CMG reported. Finally, the author warned that suppressing critical voices and spreading distorted historical narratives could deepen hostility and increase the risk of future conflicts.