Mapping Japan's China-related twitter discourse (2010-2024) using BERTopic.
1Graduate School, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an, China.
Plos One
|February 18, 2026
Summary
Japanese public opinion on China is increasingly negative, focusing on diplomacy, health, economy, and culture. Sentiment varies by topic, showing opinion shifts influenced by events and topic characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Computational Social Science
- Digital Public Sphere Analysis
- Sino-Japanese Relations
Background:
- Japanese public opinion towards China is crucial due to China's influence.
- Limited understanding exists on how these perceptions evolve in the digital space.
- Large-scale social media data offers a novel avenue for analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To trace the dynamic evolution of Japanese perceptions of China.
- To analyze public attention and sentiment trends over time.
- To understand the interplay between topics and sentiment in shaping public opinion.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a dataset of over one million China-related tweets from Japan (2010-2024).
- Employed BERTopic topic modeling to identify key discussion themes.
- Applied large language model-driven sentiment analysis to gauge affective tones.
Main Results:
- Public attention to China has steadily increased, covering diplomacy, environment, economy, and culture.
- Overall sentiment towards China is predominantly negative, with neutral and positive sentiments in specific topics.
- Topic-sentiment linkage revealed divergent affective tendencies, influenced by external events and topic nature.
Conclusions:
- Japanese public opinion on China exhibits dynamic evolution, influenced by both events and inherent topic characteristics.
- Computational analysis of social media provides significant insights into opinion formation mechanisms.
- Findings have implications for understanding and navigating Sino-Japanese relations and transnational discourse.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Toroids
4.0K
A toroid is a closely wound donut-shaped coil constructed using a single conducting wire. In general, it is assumed that a toriod consists of multiple circular loops perpendicular to its axis.
When connected to a supply, the magnetic field generated in the toroid has field lines circular and concentric to its axis. Conventionally, the direction of this magnetic field is expressed using the right-hand rule. If the fingers of the right hand curl in the current direction, the thumb points in...
When connected to a supply, the magnetic field generated in the toroid has field lines circular and concentric to its axis. Conventionally, the direction of this magnetic field is expressed using the right-hand rule. If the fingers of the right hand curl in the current direction, the thumb points in...
4.0K
01:14SBAR II: Application of SBAR
6.2K
SBAR is an effective communication tool used by healthcare professionals to communicate patient information accurately. SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. For a better understanding, an example is given below.
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
6.2K
01:08Atomic Force Microscopy
4.6K
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
4.6K
02:16Stereotype Content Model
15.5K
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence...
15.5K
01:42Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)
6.0K
Microtubule function and architecture are regulated by an array of specialized proteins called microtubule-associated proteins or MAPs. These proteins are widespread across different organisms and have conserved protein motifs, like the multi-TOG domain for tubulin binding found in the CLASP family of MAPs. Some MAPs are lineage-specific based on their conserved domains. Their functions depend upon the cytoskeletal architecture and cell type they are located within. In-plant cells, a specific...
6.0K
00:52Pareto Chart
7.9K
A Pareto chart is a bar graph or a combination of both line and bar graphs. The bar lengths represent the individual values or the frequency, while the lines represent the cumulative total values. In this chart, the longest bars are arranged on the left and the shortest bars on the right, which makes it easier to read and interpret the data. It can also be called a Pareto diagram or Pareto analysis.
The Pareto chart is named after the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who described the Pareto...
The Pareto chart is named after the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who described the Pareto...
7.9K