In Japan, anti-foreigner fake news drives far-right gains

AI Summary

Researchers warn that online falsehoods about crimes by foreigners are fueling xenophobia and aiding far-right gains in Japan. The disinformation is deepening social divisions, prompting government-commissioned efforts to counter it.

Japan risks being pulled into a spiral of online disinformation about foreign crime that is stoking xenophobia and playing into the hands of the far-right, researchers warn. The trend is reportedly deepening divisions within Japanese society and creating a feedback loop that experts say will be difficult to break. In August, Constella Security Japan, a Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm commissioned by the government to counter online disinformation, hosted a webinar for officials and media on fake...