We Were Never Friends: The Nanjing Massacre And The Media Construction Of The Sino-Japanese Diplomatic Stalemate

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how the BBC frames Sino-Japanese relations, focusing on the role of historical memory in the construction of bilateral tensions. This study is based on a constructivist perspective and uses Entman's framing model through qualitative framing analysis of BBC reporting. The analysis focuses on four elements of Entman's framing: problem definition, diagnose causes, make moral judgment, and treatment recommendations. The findings show that the BBC consistently frames history as the main source of tension, representing China as an actor that actively articulates historical memory, while Japan is portrayed as an actor bound by its past and cautious in its responses. This study concludes that media framing plays a role in shaping asymmetrical agency narratives, while also showing how the media contributes to the formation of political meaning and national identity in international relations.