Was ‘Japan being racist towards China?’ – this thought has been plaguing the minds of many Reddit users after one of Japan’s most esteemed academic institutions, Tokyo University, was under the scanner for allegedly embedding ‘Tiananmen’ keyword in the source code of its graduate admissions webpage.
The phrase reportedly restricted access for users in China. The incident had come to light in December 2024, igniting a heated debate on Reddit. The comments have now resurfaced.
“ Japan being racist toward China? That’s certainly never happened in history,” commented one user.
“ Nothing oniony about the Japanese discriminating against the Chinese. That’s like a time-honoured tradition,” reads another comment.
What does ‘Tiananmen’ refer to?
According to a report by South China Morning Post, the phrase “six four Tiananmen,” written in kanji, was found embedded in Tokyo University’s admission page, and in the admissions information section. Kanji is a writing system in the Japanese language that uses Chinese characters.
The keyword used by Tokyo University is a reference to the June 4, 1989, massacre of civilians by the People’s Liberation Army in Beijing. The phrase is a well-known trigger for China’s stringent internet censorship, commonly referred to as the “Great Firewall.”
The “Great Firewall” is a combination of laws, regulations, and technologies used by the Chinese government to monitor, control, and block internet content that it deems sensitive or harmful. When certain phrases, topics, or keywords are mentioned, they may be automatically flagged or restricted, preventing users in China from accessing certain information or websites.
What did Tokyo University say
The controversial characters, however, were later removed. The Tokyo University also issued a statement, mentioning about its commitment to fostering a diverse community of students and faculty members from around the globe.
“If the keyword was mixed in with the aim of inhibiting access from a specific country, it is an inappropriate act and is very regrettable,” the statement read, reported South China Morning Post.
