Perhaps there is a solution if each opponent may choose how the game appears when he views it, i.e., traditional or Westernized? I have always treated the characters on the pieces as an identifying graphic, much like the shape of new pieces or a non-standard shape for a piece, to both of which one quickly accustoms himself.

In favor of the traditional pieces, may I mention that most of the literature on xiangqi or shogi that one would consult presumes a knowledge of these characters?

An intelligent internationalization of shogi and xiangqi pieces has already been made by the Shogi Association in the UK (George Hodge's lamentably defunct organization) and by the Asian Xiangqi Federation, respectively. I think that both of these international versions of the pieces are represented in the game fonts at http://www.partae.com/fonts/products/products.htm
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More important, however, is to have these wonderful games available here on BrainKing. I am strongly in favor of shogi over xiangqi, if some priority must be established. Without wishing to complicate matters overmuch, dare I say that I think that Korean chess (changgi) might be a slightly more pleasing game to play than xiangqi?