State Media Supports People's Calls to Boycott Japanese Goods, Sina Weibo Stops Censoring "Boycott Japanese Goods"

A "Boycott Japanese Goods" Sign at Protest in Front of
Japanese Embassy on September 15, 2012

On September 14, 2012, the state-sponsored Global Times publish an op-ed by Shen Yi (沈逸 - a "scholar" at Fudan University) asking: "Besides 'Boycotting Japanese Goods,' What Else Can We Do?" (除了“抵制日货”，我们还能做什么). An excerpt:

As the Diaoyu Island incident heats up, calls to "boycott Japanese goods" are on the rise, and this is a projection of the deeply rooted historical memory of the pain and suffering of the Chinese people.
. . . .
As for China, from the government to the people, we might as well establish a Japanese tycoon blacklist, and with the assistance of the China's immense Internet data-mining capabilities, find out those who are lurking behind the curtain, and not allow groups that provide monetary support to provactiave foreign policies or those double-dealers that make money in China and support right-wingers in Japan  to obtain profit from China's market or get national treatment.
. . . .
Today we also need to put a "Diaoyu Islands Are China's" stamp on China's Internet space, and let the international media clearly understand this point, and recognize that this kind of wish and mood is not something incited by the government, but rather is a rational choice built on a foundation of since emotion.

钓鱼岛事件升温之际，“抵制日货”的诉求再度浮出水面，这是中华民族苦难深重的历史记忆在当代的投影。
. . . .
对中国来说，从政府到民众，不妨建立一个有关日本财阀的黑白名单，借助中国在网络空间锻炼出来的信息挖掘能力，找到那些隐身幕后、为各种挑衅性质外交政策提供资金援助的财团，而那些在中国赚钱、在日本支持右翼的两面三刀的财团，既不应被允许在中国市场赚取利润，更不应该得到国民待遇。
. . . .
今天我们仍然需要在中国网络空间顶起“钓鱼岛是中国的”标签，并让国际传媒深刻认知到这一点，认知到这种意愿与情绪不是政府煽动的产物，而是建立在真挚情感基础上的理性选择。

On September 15, 2012, Shan Renping (单仁平) published an editorial in the Global Times entitled "Do Not Be Hasty When Judging 'Boycott Japanese Goods'" (莫轻率对“抵制日货”做评价). An excerpt:

Recently more and more people are calling on the Internet to "boycott Japanese goods," are these voices rational? Opinions in China are divided. We believe that it is extremely normal for calls to "boycott Japanese goods" to appear in China at this time, as these calls come out in many countries to one degree or another at time of severe clashes with outsiders.
. . . .
It is common sense that, given Japan's malicious attitude towards China, some Chinese consumer have expressed their anger, not with violence, but by refusing to buy Japanese goods. When they have no more direct means of directly expressing themselves, they should not be censured for making this individual choice. Even if they make these calls on the Internet, this is entirely different from the same call coming from a government or other public source.

近日有越来越多的人在互联网上发出“抵制日货”的呼吁，这种声音是理性的吗？对此一些国人陷入分歧。我们认为，中国当前出现“抵制日货”声音首先是非常正常的，发生严重对外冲突时，很多国家都会在不同程度上冒出这样的呼声。
. . . .
从情理上说，在日本对中国有恶劣表现的当下，一些中国消费者没砸没打，只是以拒绝购买日本货表达愤怒，在他们没有其他更直接的表达工具时，做这种个性化选择不应受到指责。即使他们在互联网上做这种呼吁，与官方或社会公器做同样的呼吁是两回事。

These screenshots show that, at some time between August 30 and September 15, Sina Weibo stopped censoring searches for "Boycott Japanese Goods" (抵制日货).