Table 2 Manual coding of nationalist sentiment.

Very high

Score = 2

The comments include strong resentment of Japan or a strong assertion of defending China’s sovereignty.

The comments support war with Japan or a boycott of Japanese products with violence, such as smashing Japanese brand automobiles. Some radical or impolite words may be used.

relatively

strong

1.打日本, 我捐命。

2.要打就把小日本他们彻底灭了!

3.小日本可以买岛, 我们也可以从上帝那里把小日本买过来然后统统干掉。

1. Fighting with Japan, I will devote my life.

2. If we fight, we should eliminate all the Japs!

3. The Japs can purchase the Islands, but we can also buy Jap from God and eliminate them all.

High

Score = 1

The comments have some concerns about the incident. They support rational patriotism instead of waging war with Japan. Pejorative appellation for Japan can also be used.

relatively even

1…战争一爆发, 没有一个家庭是完整的, 希望和平解决…..

2. 我们支持正义, 支持我们的国家。

3. 我只是一个普通人, 我只能尽我微薄之力, 不买日货。

1. If the war breaks out, no families will be complete. (I) hope (the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands dispute) will be peacefully solved…

2. We support justice and our nation.

3. I am an ordinary person, and what I can do is not buy any Japanese products.

Neutral

Score = 0

The comments are neutral to the news, such as bumping, advertisement, and flaming.

relatively even or no special tone

1. 顶

2. 占座

3. 坐看互喷

1. Ding (bumping)

2. Seat occupied

3. See the flaming (between other netizens).

Low

Score = −1

The comments show people’s lack of concern about the incident.

relatively even

1. 买不买, 卖不卖与我无关, 哥只关心粮食和蔬菜, 因为活着要生活!

2. 中国人连自己的房子都买不起, 关心这个有用么, 你统一世界又能怎么样, 土地是你的么?

3. 关我们老百姓鸟事? 中国什么时候是老百姓的中国, 不一直是政府的吗?

1. To purchase or sell (the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands) has nothing to do with me. As I need to survive in society, what I care about is rice and vegetables (my own life).

2. As Chinese people cannot even afford their own houses, why should we concern ourselves with purchasing the islands? Even if we reunify the world, the land will not belong to us.

3. It has nothing to do with us ordinary people. When does China belong to the ordinary people? Is it not always the government’s country?

Very low

Score = −2

The comments express something unfavorable for China or say something favorable for Japan.

relatively

strong

1.打死不爱国。卖日本车的人, 如果他坐牢我愿意养他们的父母亲。

2. 我喜欢日本人, 日本天(皇)万岁!

3.世界上任何一个国家都比中国可敬可爱。

1. I would like to die other than be patriotic. If the Japanese automobile salesperson goes to prison, I would like to support his parents.

2. I like the Japanese. Long live the Mikado!

3. Any other country in the world is more venerable than China.