Anti-Japan game soon to debut online in China

09/12/2005 The Asahi Shimbun

BEIJING-An online game being developed in China reflects the fact that bilateral relations with Japan are at their lowest ebb in recent memory.

The game, called "Anti-Japan War Online," has been lauded in the Renmin Ribao (People's Daily), the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, as helping young people learn history.

The role-playing game is based on the course of the 1937-1945 war between China and Japan and commemorates the 60th anniversary of China's victory.

Players take on the identities of Chinese resistance fighters and can ambush, siege or charge Japanese troops.

The stated aim is to nurture patriotism and national spirit among the Chinese youth.

The game is being developed jointly by a Chinese online software company and the Communist Youth League of China. The game cost 50 million yuan (about 675 million yen) to develop and should be out by the end of the year.

In a recent article, Renmin Ribao welcomed the home-grown game software. It said many online games are made by foreigners and that few embody the Chinese spirit.

On one Internet bulletin board, a post said, "Make it so we can use many different weapons." (IHT/Asahi: September 12,2005)