Enhancing China's image in Japan: developing the nation brand through public diplomacy

This article examines China's public diplomacy strategy within Japan. The size and complexity of China renders the management of the country's image a challenging undertaking in any context, particularly so within Japan where the weight of historical issues between the two countries presents a significant obstacle to any attempts to implement image enhancement initiatives. A purposive sample of expert respondents were asked to give their perceptions of the impact of China's public diplomacy strategy in Japan. The results suggest that the level of success achieved to date has been low, although recent visits to Japan by Chinese leaders have been relatively well received in Japan, which may form the basis for better future outcomes for China's public diplomacy in Japan.