France seen from Argentina and Japan: between celebration and animosity

France is the talk of the world. For decades, our culture, customs and politics have been scrutinized by foreign countries. After a downtime linked to the pandemic, tourists and other students like to return to France.

French history fascinates people as much as it irritates them. France continues to be the source of deliberations in foreign countries, sometimes to say that it is good to live there, sometimes to emphasize its shortcomings. In Argentina and Japan, France remains a preferred destination for tourists, despite some reluctance. And after a slight drop in attendance linked to the pandemic, foreign travelers are flocking again.

The enthusiasm that France arouses in the eyes of the world, and particularly in Japan and Argentina, first manifests itself in a form of idealization. French history and its heritage exalt Argentines living in a country that is only 200 years old. From a cultural point of view, songs and cinema are also very appreciated: the small cinemas in the center of Buenos Aires, for example, always have a French film on display. Gastronomy is also a highlighted asset: bon vivant tourists love French cheese, bread or even pastries and macaroons. But these glorifying visions are sometimes cliché. In Japan, the Frenchman is the paragon of elegance, while France is the country par excellence of freedom. The numerous reports on France show that their view is mainly nourished by clichés around the tricolor flag, the Eiffel Tower and good wine.

Reciprocity and rejection of the French model

This taste for France is not exempt from any reciprocity: between France and Argentina, numerous historic bridges have existed for decades. There has always been migration in both directions; it is estimated that 100,000 French people, for example, went to Argentina between 1850 and 1946, and many Argentines have a French surname. This goes the other way: from General San Martin, Argentinian national hero, to Argentinian refugees persecuted during the military dictatorship of the 1970s. Today, numerous agreements allow young Argentinians to do a university exchange in France or to drop out a one-year Working Holiday visa. Argentines are even ready to save months in advance to cover the cost of the ticket and escape their reality for a few weeks. For its part, Japanese culture has never seemed so popular in France for 50 years, a symbol of a common admiration between the two countries.

It should be noted that if France fascinates, it is also covered with opprobrium by a significant part of the inhabitants of these countries, particularly in Japan. France and the French are readily perceived by some Japanese as arrogant lecturers who would do well to react to the decadence of their country. The Japanese extreme right uses French deviance and risks of insecurity to support its ideology, by setting up France as a scarecrow that Japan could resemble if it allows immigrants to enter its borders.