Immigration levels in Japan remain low compared to other rich economies, but with an ageing population, one of the world’s lowest birth rates and worker shortages in many industries, the number of immigrants is increasing.
The rising numbers of foreigners, including tourists, was a major issue in the race for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership earlier this month, which Takaichi won before being elected prime minister.
Takaichi accused foreigners of kicking deer in her hometown Nara.
One of the widely circulated posts on X that said Takaichi was “sworn in and IMMEDIATELY created a ministry for mass deportations” received more than nine million views.
Another video spread on Facebook falsely claimed that Japan’s emperor had approved “the nationwide deportation plan”.
The false claims were also circulating in Thai, German and Spanish.
They come after a Japanese cultural and social exchange programme with four African nations was cancelled last month, after it triggered floods of emails and phone calls from people falsely believing that it was a new immigration policy.
Also last month, Kitakyushu city was reportedly inundated with complaints after inaccurate claims that it planned Muslim-friendly school lunches.
In July, the anti-immigration Sanseito party did well in upper house elections, growing its seat tally to 15 from two. In the lower chamber it has three MPs.
Its agenda echoes other populist movements around the world, railing against “elitism” and “globalism”, and saying it will “bring power back to the people”.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/false-claim-japan-mass-deportation-ministry-disinformation-5422391
