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Japanese Schools in Shanghai Switch to Online Classes for Nanjing Massacre Anniversary Amid Safety Concerns

On December 13, marking the 87th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, the Japanese Consulate-General in Shanghai announced that two Japanese schools in Shanghai would switch to online classes for the day. This decision follows recent incidents of violence against Japanese residents in China, including a fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old Japanese student in Shenzhen on September 18 (the anniversary of the Mukden Incident) and an attack on a Japanese mother and child in Suzhou in June.

Due to ongoing anti-Japanese sentiment in China, parents of Japanese students are particularly concerned about their children’s safety during sensitive historical dates. The Shanghai Japanese schools’ Hongqiao and Pudong campuses will conduct online classes on December 13, which is China’s National Memorial Day. Japanese consular sources confirmed this decision is a “safety measure” due to potential heightened anti-Japanese sentiment on this day.

A parent interviewed by CNA expressed that while online classes offer some protection, parents hope for more fundamental solutions rather than living in constant fear, especially during historically significant dates. The online learning arrangement applies only to elementary and middle school students, while high school classes will continue in person. Japanese schools in Suzhou and Hangzhou, also under the Shanghai consulate’s jurisdiction, have not yet announced similar measures.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), October 31, 2024
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202410310391.aspx