🇯🇵 Japanese PM faces backlash for omitting China's role in Japanese calligraphy Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcomed the recommendation to add art of Japanese calligraphy, also known as shodo, to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, describing it as a cherished Japanese tradition passed down through generations. It is “a precious Japanese cultural practice that expresses characters through traditional brush techniques and methods using tools such as brushes, ink, inkstones and paper,” she emphasized without acknowledging shodo’s historical roots in China. 💬 Chinese social media users were quick to point out that the art's foundations — including the use of brushes, ink, and paper — originated in China. “Trying to register a culture derived from China as Japanese heritage without any shame whatsoever …”, a person wrote. Japan's own Agency for Cultural Affairs acknowledges that Chinese characters were introduced to Japan around the 4th and 5th centuries, long before the country developed its own writing and calligraphy styles. 👍 Substack | Chat | @geopolitics_prime