July 23 (Bloomberg) -- More than a third of Chinese people view Japan and the U.S. as enemies, according to a survey that examines public sentiment in Asia's fastest-growing economic and military power.

Thirty-eight percent of Chinese consider Japan to be an enemy compared with 34 percent who regard the U.S. that way, according to the 2008 Pew Global Attitudes Survey. About three quarters of those polled said Japan has not sufficiently apologized for military actions in the 1930s and 1940s.

The responses to the Pew study show lingering Chinese mistrust for economic and political competitors. Japan occupied China between 1931 and 1945. There are ``significant tensions between China and other rival powers,'' the report said.

The findings are based on in-person interviews with 3,212 Chinese adults between March 28 and April 19. The poll had an error margin of plus or minus 2 points.

In contrast, Chinese people are increasingly optimistic about their own country, with 86 percent expressing satisfaction with its overall direction, a jump of 38 percentage points since 2002. Sixty-five percent said they believe the government is doing a good job on the issues that matter the most to them.

Seventy-seven percent of Chinese said people in other countries have a favorable opinion of their nation. Nine of 21 countries in which Pew conducts polls showed views of China have become more negative, according to Pew research released in June.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dune Lawrence in Beijing at dlawrence6@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: July 23, 2008 01:06 EDT