It seems to be difficult to tell Chinese from Japanese for people from western countries, but most Japanese can tell with a high probability. Both Chinese and Japanese are the yellow races, live in the cultural sphere in which Chinese characters are used, take rice as a staple food, and partly have the spirit of Confucianism. However, excluding the above, both peoples have nothing in common.
"The two countries are separated by only a narrow strip of water." This phrase is a dry boilerplate to insist that China and Japan are kind of relatives or good friends. The way of thinking or behaving of both peoples are far distant like finally reaching, after turning around the globe to the opposite direction, about 40,000 km.
The above is my personal sensation acquired from the various recent news items from China.
(Vocabulary)
cultural sphere 文化圏
Confucianism 儒教
have nothing in common 共通点がない
a narrow strip of water ／a narrow strait 一衣帯水
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