If I wanted to describe the person I was speaking about as being Japanese, to me it seems natural to say:

日本人{にほんじん}の相手{あいて}

... however, one time a Japanese teacher told me it's more correct to say:

相手{あいて}の日本人{にほんじん}

... but that never sat right with me. To me the first way seems more logical because it goes from more general to more specific.

Is 相手{あいて}の日本人{にほんじん} more correct?

If so, why?