Key facts
- Researchers warn that Japan is at risk of a spiral of online disinformation about foreign crime.
- The disinformation is reportedly stoking xenophobia and benefiting the far-right.
- The trend is deepening divisions within Japanese society.
- Experts say the feedback loop created by disinformation will be difficult to break.
- Constella Security Japan hosted a webinar on countering online disinformation.
Japan faces a growing risk of being drawn into a cycle of online disinformation concerning foreign crime, which is reportedly fueling xenophobia and benefiting far-right political movements, according to researchers. This phenomenon is said to be exacerbating societal divisions within Japan and creating a challenging feedback loop to dismantle. In August, Constella Security Japan, a cybersecurity firm tasked by the government with combating online disinformation, organized a webinar for government officials and media representatives focused on strategies to counter fake news.