Japanese politics, from both sides.
Claims about Japanese politics spread fast on Japanese social media, and many of them never reach English-language news. We check what is actually true, then lay out what each side says, using the original Japanese sources.
Domestic · Fact check
GMO hack: experts narrow down the attacker from the extortion site's logs, but no one has been identified
In the unauthorized access to GMO's cloud service for FX traders, the attacker's extortion site left a record of its visitors, and experts narrowed down IP addresses likely used by the attacker, TBS reported. Claims that "the attacker's account was exposed" or "the culprit has been identified" are also spreading, but neither the police nor GMO has announced an identification or arrest. We sorted out what can be confirmed from the reports and GMO's announcements.
Economy & Finance · Fact check
Horse-racing winnings and 'double taxation': 25% takeout and income tax
The Sankei Shimbun reported that, over payouts from horse racing, keirin (bicycle racing) and similar betting, calls are emerging within the ruling parties for a tax review that includes making them tax-free. About 25% is deducted when a betting ticket is bought, and income tax is charged on top if it wins, and the claim that this is "double taxation" has also been raised by lawmakers in the Diet. Based on the law, government answers in the Diet and Supreme Court rulings, we set out what we could confirm, and the views of those seeking tax exemption or a review and those who say the tax should be kept.
Domestic · Fact check
GMO ransom demands: ¥8 billion vs ¥160 million, and the real hostages
GMO Internet's cloud service for FX trading, Onamae.com Desktop Cloud, was hit by unauthorized access, and the attacker is demanding a ransom. News reports give conflicting amounts such as "¥8 billion," "¥150 million" and "$1 million," and claims such as "GMO paid" and "it was done by Chinese state-linked hackers" are also spreading. Based on GMO's announcements and news reports, we set out what we could confirm, and the views of those who support refusing the demands and those who question user protection and GMO's response.
Domestic · Fact check
Digital minister's 'protect it yourself' remark and the 160M leak figure
As personal data leaks from unauthorized access to companies keep coming, Digital Minister Toshiharu Furukawa urged people at a press conference to "protect your own information yourself," drawing criticism that he was "shifting responsibility." We checked his actual words and their context in the press conference summary published by the Digital Agency, and sorted out the basis for claims such as "160 million people's data leaked" and "the culprits are running free." We set out the views of those who see his call as reasonable and those who say it blurs the responsibility of the state and companies.
Welfare & Daily Life · Fact check
Pachinko jobs for foreigners: only Dependent status, not students
On October 1, Japan's Immigration Services Agency (ISA) changed how it handles foreigners' permission to engage in activity other than that permitted by their status of residence, allowing only people with "Dependent" residence status to work part-time at pachinko parlors (halls with pinball-like gaming machines) and game arcades with individual permission. On social media, claims are also spreading that "international students can work freely," that "Technical Intern Training participants are covered too," and that "the Diet decided it." Based on the ISA's guidance and news reports, we set out what we could confirm, and the views of those who see the change as a reasonable response to labor shortages and those worried about gambling addiction and immigration control.
Domestic · Fact check
Election disinformation: MIC guideline urges demonetizing, not deletion
On October 23, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) published draft guidelines for 13 large social media companies on countering disinformation and defamation on social media during elections. The draft gives examples such as suspending monetization of posts containing disinformation and detecting AI-generated images and showing warnings, and will apply from the nationwide local elections next spring. On social media, some are calling it “government control of speech.” We checked what the original text of the draft actually says, and set out the views of those who say countermeasures should be strengthened and those worried about the impact on freedom of expression.
Diplomacy & Security · Fact check
Iwaya's “the cause is ours” remark: checking China's quote in the original
After visiting China, former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that “the cause has been created on our side,” and a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised this as showing “the reason and conscience of Japanese people of insight” and used it to criticize Japan. We checked when, where and about what he said it, and whether anything was left out of China's quotation, against a summary of his press conference and the Chinese foreign ministry's original record, and set out the views of those who see the remark as careless and those who see it as a call for dialogue.
Elections & Parties · Fact check
Farm minister Takebe and election law: three reports vs. his explanation
Agriculture Minister Arata Takebe, who took office on October 15 as successor to Kazuo Yana, has been hit by a series of reports alleging violations of the Public Offices Election Act. They concern a donation from a company that holds government contracts, a payment to a cameraman, and a raffle at a local beer party. We separate what the weekly magazines reported, what major news organizations confirmed, and Takebe's own explanation, and set out the views of those who demand accountability or his resignation and those who say his explanation should be heard out.
Editors' Picks · Fact check
Meloni's “parents pay” decree: checking the viral claims against her words
After young people smashed and looted shops in Milan on October 17–18 following a protest over the cost of living, Italy's Meloni government approved a decree on October 20 that creates a new crime for group violence at demonstrations and makes parents pay for damage caused by their minor children. The story is spreading on Japanese social media as “protest is a right, but destruction is not” and “parents will pay the full cost.” We checked these claims against the full text of the prime minister's video message and the government's official announcement, and set out the views of those who want clear order and responsibility and those worried about free expression and the impact on children.
Domestic · Fact check
Japan's foreign residents hit a record 4.28 million: checking the “surge” claims
Japan's Immigration Services Agency said on October 16 that the number of foreign residents reached a record 4,281,026 at the end of June. At the same time, new entries under the tightened “Business Manager” visa fell by about 80%, and visa overstayers declined 4.8% in six months. We check claims spreading on Japanese social media, such as “foreigners are already 10% of the population” and “illegal stays are rising,” against official statistics, and set out the views of those who want tighter control and those who prioritize coexistence and labor needs.
Editors' Picks · Fact check
France protests: Limoges town hall burned, but “migrant riot” videos are fake
On October 17, nationwide protests over the cost of living and schools drew about 550,000 people in France, and the historic town hall in Limoges was set on fire and largely destroyed. On Japanese social media, videos claiming “migrants are rioting” are also spreading, but some show unrelated events. We sort out what has been confirmed and set out the views of those who say restoring order comes first and those who say policing must change.
Domestic · Fact check
Why Japan’s earthquake early warning said “M9.9” — and what a real one would mean
At midday on October 16, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued an Earthquake Early Warning for Hokkaido through the Chubu region saying “M9.9 near the Kuril Islands, maximum seismic intensity around 7,” then canceled it eight minutes later. Posts on X claiming “it was a cyberattack” or “a failed artificial earthquake” have also spread. We check what happened and, based on materials from the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Cabinet Office, explain what would happen if an M9.9 earthquake really occurred.
Economy & Finance · Fact check
Shanghai Electric Power and the “11 solar plants” claim: unverified
A post claiming that “the Yana case revealed 11 solar plants involving Shanghai Electric Power’s Japanese subsidiary” is spreading on X. Former agriculture minister Kazuo Yana did raise concerns about a Shanghai Electric Power project in the Diet in 2014, but we found no material linking it to his recent resignation. We sort out what is true and set out the arguments for regulating foreign-owned renewable energy projects and for handling them under the current system.
Welfare & Daily Life · Fact check
Nara City’s “zero welfare applications from foreigners” claim is unverified
A claim is spreading on X that “thanks to the efforts of city assembly member Hezuma Ryu, welfare applications from foreigners in Nara City have dropped to zero since September.” We found no official announcement from Nara City, and whether it is true has not been confirmed. We set out where the claim came from and how the system works, along with the arguments for reconsidering welfare assistance for foreign nationals and for keeping it.
Domestic · Fact check
Ichikawa mosque patrol: the “police request” and “death threat” claims
Muslims who attend the Gyotoku Mosque in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, have started patrols to watch over children around an elementary school, and it has become a major topic on X. Claims are also spreading that “the police and city hall asked them to” and that “the mosque’s operator issued a death threat to critics.” We checked how much of this is true and set out the views of those who accept the patrols and those who want them reconsidered.
Domestic · Fact check
Muslims in Japan: burial and prayer disputes, and three false claims
An estimated 420,000 Muslims live in Japan. Burial cemeteries, group prayers in parks and school lunches have caused friction and debate in several places. We sort out the misinformation spreading on social media and set out the arguments for building the means to live together and for tightening rules in line with Japanese customs.
Domestic · Fact check
Bangladesh to send “6 million workers” to Japan? False — here is what the report said
A Bangladeshi state news agency report from April about preparing workers for Japan’s “Specified Skilled Worker” visa resurfaced on Japanese social media in October as a “plan to send 6 million people.” We checked what the original report does and does not say, and set out the arguments for expanding and for restricting Japan’s intake of foreign workers.