You know China has never defeated Japan in a war right? These two have been warring with each other for centuries long before WW2. So the animosity between the two runs deep
I lived in China more than 9 years, so i'd say i'm pretty caught up but thanks for the history lesson.
99% of the animosity stems from the "Rape of Nanjing" during WWII in which the Japanese invaded China and pretty much massacred everyone they came across including women and children. To make it worse, after the Japanese surrendered the war, being prideful fux, refused to acknowledge their actions, even though there was first hand accounts from expats from many different countries, who witnessed everything. The Japanese don't talk about it and have seemed to pretty much erase it from their history. Almost like white people minimizing and not acknowledging the horrors of slavery and telling black folk to get over it. The Chinese will
never forget that. After WWII, the Japanese apologized and kissed the ring of every country, but still refused to acknowledge the atrocities they committed in China. So, the Chinese have harbored hatred for the Japanese until today.
Whether China has defeated Japan before is irrelevant. Look at China and Japan's global position now. Japan has a declining population, shaky economy and American military bases, daring Japan to show its ass again. China, on the other hand, has the largest standing military in the world, a booming economy, and can't wait for the day when they can wipe 小日本 off the map