Discursive strategies in Japanese initial news coverage of BYD’s entry into Japan
Grounded in the theoretical framework of Critical Cognitive Linguistics, this study examines the discursive strategies employed in the three selected initial reports published by the Asahi Shimbun, the Nikkei, and the Yomiuri Shimbun. These reports were released within 24 h following BYD's official announcement of its entry into the Japanese market on July 21, 2022. The analysis focuses on two cognitive mechanisms: spatial metaphor and categorization. The findings reveal that the three newspapers exhibit a discursive pattern of constructing an inside/outside division through the spatial metaphor of “internal space vs. external entrant.” BYD is consistently labeled with nationality-based markers, whereas Japanese domestic automakers, consumers, and the home market appear as unmarked, default referents. At the same time, the coverage acknowledges BYD's competitive strengths in technology and product design, indicating that the discourse is characterized not by simple exclusion but by a complex interplay between recognition of foreign industrial capability and concern over domestic competitive positioning. This observed pattern, limited to the three initial reports analyzed, suggests a protective orientation toward the Japanese automotive industry.