In modern Japan, an intriguing paradox stands out. Some right-wing nationalists loudly demand that China should keep its distance, yet these same voices fiercely defend the use of kanji — the very characters that originally came from China. This contradiction sparks curiosity: why would groups that claim to reject Chinese influence still cling so tightly to Chinese-origin writing? Let’s dive into the history, ideology, psychology, and symbolism that explain this complex cultural puzzle.

Kanji’s Arrival in Japan: Civilization Through Characters

Kanji entered Japan centuries ago, along with Buddhism and continental culture. More than just symbols, the characters represented an advanced system of governance, literature, and philosophy. For the Japanese court, adopting kanji meant joining the circle of “civilized states.” Writing laws, histories, and poetry in kanji gave legitimacy and authority.

Over time, Japanese syllabaries such as hiragana and katakana emerged. Yet kanji never disappeared. They retained an aura of intellectual prestige, associated with statecraft, education, and refinement. To this day, kanji remain deeply embedded in Japan’s sense of identity.

This long history explains why abandoning kanji would feel like abandoning Japan’s own cultural foundations.

Right-Wing Contradictions: Rejecting China, Preserving Kanji

Nationalist groups often thrive on the narrative of cultural purity. Their rhetoric emphasizes independence from foreign influence. But rejecting kanji would mean erasing centuries of Japanese history. It would also weaken the symbolic ties to imperial and classical traditions that right-wing groups treasure.

Thus, they selectively separate China the modern nation from Chinese-origin cultural elements that have been thoroughly localized. In their worldview, China as a geopolitical rival is rejected, but kanji as “Japanized heritage” must be preserved.

It is a case of expel the people, inherit their tools.

The Power of Symbols: Why Kanji Matter to Nationalists

Kanji are not just writing tools. Each character carries visual complexity and layered meaning. Right-wing groups often emphasize the use of old-style characters (kyūjitai), resisting the postwar simplification reforms.

Why? Because old characters represent continuity with prewar Japan, evoking an era of imperial prestige and traditional values. Simplified characters, in contrast, are tied to democratization and Western-influenced reforms. By using old kanji, right-wing circles symbolically reject the postwar order and assert loyalty to “true Japan.”

In this sense, kanji become political weapons — not simply linguistic instruments.

Cultural Re-Japanization: The “Chinese Yet Ours” Mentality

To outsiders, it looks hypocritical: how can someone shout “China, get out!” while clinging to Chinese script? The answer lies in cultural re-Japanization.

For over a thousand years, kanji have been adapted, modified, and absorbed into Japanese identity. Japanese people don’t usually think of kanji as “foreign.” They are regarded as Japanese tools of expression.

Right-wing groups reinforce this separation. They treat kanji as part of Japan’s soul, detached from the China of today. In their minds, the characters stopped being Chinese long ago.

Psychological Insights: Why the Contradiction Feels Natural

There is also a psychological angle. Human identity often tolerates contradictions when symbols serve emotional needs. For nationalists, kanji embody stability, authority, and history. These qualities outweigh their foreign origins.

It is similar to how one might dislike Western influence yet happily wear suits or use smartphones. Once absorbed, cultural imports lose their foreignness and become “ours.”

Thus, the contradiction isn’t felt as hypocrisy. It is a cognitive distinction between rejecting a rival nation and preserving symbols that reinforce one’s own narrative.

Language as a Battlefield

Every society politicizes language, but Japan’s case is unique because kanji originated from a rival civilization. For right-wing groups:

  • Preserving kanji = preserving tradition.
  • Using archaic forms = rejecting reformist ideology.
  • Attacking China = defending Japan’s independence.

Kanji therefore sit at the crossroads of culture and politics. They are as much a battlefield of identity as they are a writing system.

Author’s Perspective: Embracing Paradox

From my perspective, this paradox is not merely ironic but deeply revealing. National identity is rarely consistent. It grows by absorbing outside influences, reshaping them, and then forgetting their origins.

Kanji are a perfect example: once foreign, now inseparable from Japanese culture. Right-wing groups cling to them not in spite of their origin, but because their long domestication allows them to symbolize continuity and prestige.

It is a reminder that history always lives within us, even when we try to separate ourselves from “the other.”

Key Takeaways (with emojis)

  • 📜 Historical roots: Kanji gave Japan literacy, law, and legitimacy.
  • 🏯 Nationalist paradox: Expel China, but preserve kanji.
  • 🔠 Symbolism: Old characters evoke tradition and imperial power.
  • 🇯🇵 Cultural re-Japanization: Kanji are seen as Japanese, not foreign.
  • 🧠 Psychological comfort: Contradiction feels natural when symbols affirm identity.

Conclusion

Japan’s right-wing embrace of Chinese-origin kanji is more than a quirky contradiction. It is a window into how identity is built. Nationalism is not simply about rejection — it is also about selective inheritance, appropriation, and the power of symbols to outlive their origins.

Kanji remind us that cultural tools, once integrated, no longer belong to their birthplace. They become universal, adaptable, and symbolic. For Japan’s right-wing, rejecting kanji would be rejecting Japan itself. And that is a contradiction too great even for the fiercest nationalist to bear.