[Verginius Rufus]

Orient means the direction of the sunrise. So the Japanese are being racist about themselves when they call their country the Land of the Rising Sun?

Ancient Greek pottery of about the 7th century B.C. is called the Orientalizing style because it shows influences from the Near East...they weren't in contact with China.

[elcid1970]

The Japanese are actually pretty racist about themselves.

[muir_redwoods]

Japan called itself that in reference to China. Viewed from China, the sun did seem to rise over Japan. I think it was a way of countering the Chinese reference to the Japanese as the “Island Dwarves”