{
  "id": 3144636,
  "title": "Viral false claims about quakes, Hiroshima expose Japan’s online conspiracy problem",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/viral-false-claims-about-quakes-hiroshima-expose-japans-online",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-25T00:11:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3365120/viral-false-claims-about-quakes-hiroshima-expose-japans-online-conspiracy-problem"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent viral false claims in Japan have alarmed misinformation experts, who warn that conspiracy narratives are exploiting disaster anxiety, fading wartime memories and an online information environment that thrives on outrage and suspicion. Following the July 28 magnitude 7.1 quake in southern Japan's Kumamoto prefecture, a social media user suggested the seismic data from the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience indicated the tremor was not a natural earthquake but an artificial explosion. The post, published shortly after the quake, quickly gained traction, with over 2,100 reposts and 6,300 likes on Yahoo Japan's real-time search. Another wave of conspiracy theories emerged as Japan honored the August anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and the end of World War II. Claims denying the atomic attacks proliferated online, with some posts receiving over 1 million views on X and TikTok, and a YouTube video claiming the bombings were a lie garnering more than 300,000 views. Yuzuru Kido, a former J-CAST News deputy editor and internet media researcher, noted that while both conspiracy theories lack scientific basis, they take root in different contexts. He attributes the denial of the atomic bombings to the passage of more than 80 years since the end of the war, which has diminished opportunities for direct memory and testimony, while earthquakes' inherent uncertainty provides fertile ground for conspiracy theories. Kido expressed concern that such claims are becoming easier to revive and circulate in Japan's online ecosystem. Japan has previously seen conspiracy theories attach themselves to national traumas, such as the claim that Japan Airlines Flight 123 was shot down by a Japanese warship's missile. More recently, romance and investment scams have demonstrated how quickly trust can be exploited in digital spaces. Internet media researcher Makoto Watanabe warns that the acceptance of conspiracy theories is rising, driven by a global rise in nationalism, economic anxieties, and the reinforcement of like-minded beliefs through algorithm-driven filter bubbles and echo chambers. A Japan-wide survey found that those who primarily use video-based social media for news were more likely to embrace conspiracy-style thinking than those who relied on newspapers. Professor Watanabe emphasized that there will always be a section of the public with low media literacy, relying heavily on mobile phones and accepting everything they see uncritically. He believes that as long as there are individuals seeking attention and profit by stoking anxiety, conspiracy theories will continue to gain traction.",
  "summary": "Two outlandish claims that gained large audiences online in Japan recently have “shocked” misinformation experts, who say conspiracy-style narratives are feeding on disaster anxiety, fading wartime memory and an online information ecosystem that rewards outrage and suspicion. In the aftermath of the July 28 earthquake in Kumamoto prefecture in southern Japan, a social media user claimed that…",
  "key_points": [
    "False claims suggest Kumamoto quake was artificial explosion, gaining 2,100 reposts",
    "Hiroshima/Nagasaki denial videos garner over 1 million views, 300,000 on YouTube",
    "Experts warn conspiracy theories thrive in Japan's online ecosystem with low media literacy"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}