Exclusionist reactions during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean citizens’ support for border restriction

Abstract Objective The COVID‐19 pandemic has fueled exclusionist attitudes toward various outgroup minorities. This study examines the support among Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean citizens for restrictions on the entry of foreigners and fellow citizens living abroad during the pandemic. Method Cross‐national surveys were conducted using quota sampling. Results The results showed that the citizens of all three countries supported border restrictions, and this tendency was the strongest in China. Nationalist and authoritarian orientations were positively associated with the exclusion of foreigners and fellow citizens abroad in all three countries, revealing their universal impact. Social trust and beliefs in a country's capacity to deal with crises were expected to be negatively associated with exclusionism. This negative relationship was only confirmed in Japan and South Korea. Conclusion We discuss the possible reasons for the exceptional case of China and contextual factors that affect interventions for mitigating exclusionism.