The Tragedy of the Replication of Misperception Case Study: China-Japan’s 3.11 Disaster Diplomacy

Abstract

This chapter first presents the theoretical basis of the tragic replication of misperception and mistrust subsequent to the negative mutual direct perceptions beginning to solidify in 2010. Even incoming goodwill messages from the other side can be unconsciously filtered or processed to fit in with the solidifying misperceptions. Yun Zhang uses the failure of Sino–Japanese disaster diplomacy with the 3/11 Great East Japan Earthquake as a case example showing that even the initial gestures of goodwill could be distorted by the biased perceptual lens to produce even more mistrust. The empirical case shows the ironic process of replication of mutual misperception and distrust despite high expectations from both the Chinese and Japanese sides.