A trend started on the Internet, spreading quickly among local whitecollars, to boycott products made by Japanese companies.

Not only products made in Japan were affected, but also those made in China but bearing a Japanese trade mark. "Don't let them earn a single cent from me," said a netizen renouncing her favourite wasabi, a spicy seasoning from Japan.

The driving force behind such determined resistance is a common dislike for Japanese among Chinese. Almost everyone will react with indignation at the mention of the Japanese invasion of China, the sex tour of a group of Japanese men to Zhuhai or the Japanese Prime Minister's regular visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.

It is surprising to see hatred extend for such a long period in people's minds. And the Japanese government seems to enhance this negative feeling by acts of devotion at the Yasukuni Shrine and by denying not only the use of biological and chemical weapons in the war but even having invaded China at all.

But I have to admit to thinking that people seem to over-react in their attitude toward the Japanese. Too many sensational stories can be found on the Internet, describing how overseas students' are abused in Japan, followed by a long list of Japanese brandnames which "patriots" with sympathy for their fellows should avoid purchasing.

Young people in urban China, especially in Shanghai, have shown little political concern. Sometimes they turn a cold shoulder toward vulnerable groups like immigrant workers.

Traditionally, we have been used to following instructions, official orders and governmental regulations without questioning their legitimacy.

Now it is a good thing to see people take a stand and take some action, believing such action might make some difference on this issue, although, strictly speaking, it is not an action, but a "non-action" - not buying Japanese products.

This is a passive way of protest, and shows a lack of proper consideration of many relevant issues. Young people participating in this "non-action" may not have a very full understanding of Sino-Japanese relations. And some of the sensational stories may have been made up, simply because the writer believed that this issue could revive collective memories of the Chinese people and arouse a wide reaction.

Sometimes I hear young people say such things as "the Japanese should be annihilated", which is just as bad as remarks quoted in stories on the Internet saying "the Chinese are an inferior nationality", with both being comparable to the Nazi attitude toward the Jewish race.

But despite everything, I firmly believe that people have the right to take a political stand and protest against a state's embrace of belligerent policies or prejudice against overseas students. This is an undeniable improvement in Chinese people's political consciousness.

Someone wrote in the newspaper that such action against Japanese products might trigger a trade conflict between China and Japan, but obviously no one can force people into buying anything, especially in today's China, which is drastically different from 20 or 30 years ago.

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