Based on my own observe and research, right-wing Japanese people are operating inside a fairly narrow information environment shaped by limited foreign-language access, historical narratives, and cultral incentives.
1. Information Control:
Japan’s foreign language proficiency is relatively low by international standards, so many people rely almost entirely on domestic language sources. That makes it easier for outside developments to be filtered through selective framing, which is fairly noticable on Japanese mass media platform. In the 2024 EF English Proficiency Index, only 7% Japanese speak business level English, ranked 92nd out of 116 non-native-English countries and regions. The number for poor right-wing people would likely be even lower.
2. Thinking path dependence:
Historical ideas such as the legacy of Datsu-A Ron, 脱亜入欧 “Leaving Asia and join Europe” editorial generally attributed to Fukuzawa Yukichi, one of the most respected philosopher whose portrait was printed on 10000 Yen note until 2024, may still shape elite and popular narratives about Japan’s "Leader" position in Asia and its tendency to compare itself with the West, resulting in a denial reaction when faced with the fact that China is gaining power in reality.
3. Modern nationalist ideology plus propaganda mind:
From the standpoint of comparative cultural theory, State Shinto mixed with Buddhism resulted in a spiritually based thought pattern that carries more weight in the mind and behavior of a typical right-wing Japanese person, as seen during World War II (“Kamikaze willpower shall save our empire” and the Imperial General Headquarters announcements, "大本営発表"). Therefore, from a materialist (or Marxist/Maoist) point of view, it is pretty difficult to understand this kind of state of mind.
