Mandarin accent from the Japanese point of view

Hi,

I wonder if there are any Japanese learning Chinese Mandarin here.

I am Australian Russian, have been learning both Chinese and Japanese part-time for quite some time.

I talk to both Chinese and Japanese people.

My observation is that Chinese accent is extremely difficult for Japanese people, more that for speakers of other languages, especially initials or the difference between initials shi/xi, zhi/chi/zi/ji/ji/qi, ri/li, hu/fu, finals -an/-ang, zi, -r. I can continue the list.

Anyway, tones is part of the problem, common to speakers of any other non-tonal language but the Japanese phonology seems so different and sorry, so small compared to the Chinese.

If you are Japanese, did you have any experience in overcoming these problems?

Please join the social group of Chinese learners on this forum, if you have any interest in Chinese.