The Construction of Collective Memory in the Media: an Analysis of News Reports on Japanese Military’s “Comfort Women” in Chinese Mainland (1931-2024)

• 발행기관: 아시아사회과학학회
• 저자명: Yumin Zhang
• 간행물 정보: 『Journal of Asia Art Research』Vol.1 No.3, 20~34쪽, 전체 15쪽
• 주제분류: 사회과학 > 사회과학일반
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2025.09.30

국문 초록

The system of “comfort women” implemented by the Japanese military was a heinous crime committed under Japanese militarism during World War II. This aspect of history remained obscured for a prolonged period and barely entered the public consciousness. In 2024, the children of 18 Chinese victims of the “comfort women” system filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government, marking the first such legal action in nearly 32 years. This development indicates that, despite the gradual passing of the victims, their descendants continue to strive for justice and actively exert social influence. As descendants, we bear the responsibility to systematically review this history and transmit the voices of the victims to prevent the erasure of this painful collective memory. This study examines Chinese news media reports on “comfort women” from 1931 to 2024, aiming to explore how these reports contribute to the construction of collective memory regarding this issue. It focuses on analyzing the methods of construction, content characteristics, and underlying motivations. The findings reveal that news reports play a pivotal role in shaping the public’s collective memory of the “comfort women” history. These reports not only document historical facts but also significantly influence the formation of collective memory and the orientation of social attitudes. Additionally, the evolving trend of public collective memory exhibits a high degree of consistency with the construction of memory in reports on “comfort women” by media in Mainland China.

목차

1. Introduction

2. The Historical Evolution of Media Memory: Phased Reporting Positioning and Characteristics of the “Comfort Women” Issue

3. Phase Ⅲ: Issue Reemergence and Awareness Awakening – Limitations in the Emergence of the “Comfort Women” Issue in China (1992–2000)

4. Phase IV: State Intervention and Memory Construction: A New Century’s National Narrative Framework Under the Influence of Diplomacy (2000-2014)

5. Phase V: Public Attention and Humanitarianism: Focus on Individual Experiences Within the Nationalist Narrative Framework (2014-2024)

6. Research on the Collective Memory of Victim Images - Changes in the Image of Victims in Chinese News Reports

7. Conclusion

References

키워드

Japanese Military’s “Comfort Women” System Collective Memory Chinese News Reports Nationalism Media Narrative