China Poll: Sino-Japanese Relations

What is the first thing you think of when someone refers to Japan?

A recent survey conducted by Xinhua News Agency found that only roughly 35% of Chinese youth believe that Sino-Japanese relations will improve in the next five years.

 35.30% said bilateral relations will improve and that mutual trust will be enhanced
 27.64% believe there will be no significant change
 22.74% of respondents have a pessimistic outlook, believing relations will worsen
 14.32% of respondents said they couldn't tell
 
The survey was part of a recent collaborative effort by the China's Xinhua and Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun to conduct concurrent surveys to determine what young people in China and Japan think of each other's country.
 
In China, the 1,296 survey participants were between 15 to 35 years old and roughly 80 percent had or were in the process of attaining a higher education degree. When asked what they thought of when Japan was mentioned, more than 2/3 of Chinese youths said they thought of China's historical issues with Japan.

 67.8% of respondents think of historical issues
 7.9% think of Japanese technology products
 7.6% consider Japanese culture and fashion
 4.4% think of a negative Japanese national character
 4.2% think of a positive Japanese national character
 3.0% are reminded of other things
 2.6% associate Japan with economic development
 1.3% think of a similar heritage with Japan
 1.2% associate Japan with beautiful scenery and a commitment to environmental protection