Chinese readers who care about Japanese pop culture now have a new source of information about their favorite art, manga and sitcom.
Despite a year of tense Sino-Japanese relations, ZHI JP. (Understanding Japan), a bi-monthly mook, has been launched by Wenzhi, a publishing brand of Xiron Books Tuesday.
Featuring popular Japanese painter Yoshitomo Nara's Your Dog on the cover, the first issue talks mainly about machine life, Nara and the historical sitcom, giving insights into their cultural background.
"We intended to create an all-around magazine on the dynamic Japanese culture, unlike fashion or anime magazines already on sale," said Su Jing, editor-in-chief of the mook, which is a combination of book and magazine.
Jiang Feng, editor-in-chief of Japan New-Generation Overseas Chinese Newspaper, a Chinese paper in Japan, thinks highly of the mook because "it makes people think how to understand Japan culturally, rather than simply be anti-Japan."
Mao Danqing, a well-known Chinese writer living in Japan and chief writer for the mook, shared photos of Kyoto to showcase aspects of Japan from a Chinese perspective.
"I've been thinking how to touch the souls of our Japanese friends with our own observations and vision. I believe the Chinese can understand the Japanese for 100 percent, which is also our ultimate goal."
Matsutaro Sugita, director of the Japan Foundation and Japanese Cultural Center in Beijing, said a magazine edited and published by an entire Chinese team marks the exchange between Chinese and Japanese entering a new level, ahead of the 40th year of normalization of relations, next year, between the two countries.
Given that publications are under pressure from electronic books, Su, a new media enthusiast, told the Global Times that printed books won't die out but co-exist with other forms of books in future.
"We will strive to provide valuable, in-depth content that makes for a unique reading experience," he said.