Japanese Language in the Wake of Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement: Is It a Form of Soft Power?

This chapter argues that Japanese language has functioned as soft power in Hong Kong in Joseph Nye’s terms since the Umbrella Movement of late 2014, the largest sit-in protest for full democracy in Hong Kong’s history. Although the movement was ultimately unsuccessful, Hong Kong gained attention—and often sympathy—from Japan through media and the Internet. Consequently, Japanese language—which is widely studied and used in Hong Kong—expressed such favourable gazes on Hong Kong from Japan. Since the Umbrella Movement, Japanese language as the vehicle of gazes from Japan has empowered largely pro-democracy young Hongkongers. Further, it has encouraged them to feel an attachment to Japan, Hong Kong’s most significant democratic neighbour.