Can a bed bug infestation spread to Japan and become the cause of a pandemic? No, that's not true: Bed bugs do not carry infectious diseases, which means a bed bug infestation cannot cause an infectious disease pandemic. Pandemics may be declared when a disease spreads widely on an international scale between countries and regions of the world. The claim…

Do pharmaceutical companies add caffeine or other ingredients that make it difficult for people to stop taking drugs such as Loxonin? No, that's not true: Pain reliever Loxonin contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. Caffeine is included in Loxonin because it has the effect of suppressing pain, and is not added to increase the…

Is it true that linear motor cars cause cancer? No, that's not true: Studies conducted by experts concluded that passengers aboard a high-speed bullet train will not have their health affected by the electromagnetic exposure from power cables. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) on November 20, 2023. In the video, a man named Shunsuke Funase claims…

Is it true that boiling tap water makes it spoil quicker? No, that's not true: When stored properly, tap water -- boiled or at room temperature -- can last months, and the boiling process won't evaporate the water's chlorine content and make it go bad. The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here) on September 5, 2023. The author says in…

Is it true that shrimp are being vaccinated - or are soon to be vaccinated - with mRNA vaccines? No, that's not true: Vaccines administered to shrimp are of a different kind, such as those used to prevent epidemics of white spot disease (WSD) among crustaceans and fish. The claim is made without evidence to support the statement that mRNA…

Did the United States ban imports of Fukushima agricultural and fishery products for 10 years? No, that's not true: On March 22, 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an import alert, not a prohibition order, instructing FDA field personnel to detain food shipments from Japan if the food was likely to contain radionuclide contamination. The FDA deactivated…

Did cancer appear in Japan only after World War II? No, that's not true: People also got cancer before that war. The oldest description of the illness in medical history dates back to as early as 1600 BC. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok on September 17, 2023. The person in the video claimed (translated from…

Did Japan release nuclear contaminated water into the sea, making it murky? No, that's not true: The ALPS treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, which was released into the sea as of August 24, 2023, is transparent and colorless. The claim appeared on a TikTok video (archived here) on September 2, 2023. The text on the video,…

Did The Japanese government promise the fishery officials not to discharge ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System) treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant to the sea? No, that's not true: The government promised the fishery officials that they would not dispose of contaminated water without the understanding of those involved. The current position of the Fukushima Fisheries Federation is…

Did Japanese politicians state that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate was a human experiment? No, that's not true: The claim circulating on social media misquotes and takes out of context a bill presented by the Democratic Party of Japan - an opposition party - acknowledging those who were harmed by COVID vaccine's side effects. The false allegations were first shared by…

Did the Fukushima nuclear power plant discharge contaminated water directly into the ocean? No, that's not true: The water from the nuclear power station wrecked by the 2011 tsunami that hit Japan is released into the ocean after purification, repurification and dilution. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) published on August 27, 2023. The text (translated from…

Is it true that green tea candy can cure COVID-19? No, that's not true: Commercially sold green tea candies are mostly cough drops, and their catechin content cannot fight COVID alone. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) on August 18, 2023. The video discusses catechin, a chemical substance found in green tea, and claims that a study…

Did Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation buy farmland in the United States to grow genetically modified tomatoes that are tested on schoolchildren? No, that's not true: Tomatoes are not among a list of one dozen crops or foods approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to be grown, tested…

Is it safe to add peppermint oil to your laundry, to "turn your clothes into a natural mosquito repellent?" No, it is not: Putting peppermint oil in your washing machine may pose a fire hazard. The claim appearead on TikTok (archived here) on June 24, 2023. The video shows a screenshot taken from Twitter that explains the alleged benefits of…

Are electromagnetic waves "the most important thing to avoid," more than chemicals, pollution and radiation? No, that's not true: Japan has radio wave (electromagnetic waves) protection guidelines that are in line with the international recommendations of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and the World Health Organization (WHO). The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) posted on…

Will taking lactic acid bacteria (LAB) "promote cancer growth and mold growth in humans?" No, that's not true: On the contrary, research has pointed out that LAB could enhance immunity, improve gastrointestinal function, increase resistance to obesity and increase antioxidant abilities, as well as reduce blood glucose concentration and cholesterol. In addition, a number of studies are focusing on the…

Is it true that taking more vitamin D will successfully prevent COVID-19 and Influenza? No, that's not true: The study used as evidence in this video only looks at COVID patients with vitamin D deficiency in Indonesia, not at the prospect of vitamin D as a cure for COVID. Furthermore, the study doesn't mention the possibility of curing Influenza anywhere…

Are green food dyes made of "silkworm poop"? No, that's not true: Green food coloring is made mainly from the alfalfa plant. The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here) on June 9, 2023. In the video, a woman in a lab coat explains that the dyes used in food such as matcha desserts and gum might be "silkworm poop." In…

Is it true that the Japanese government has released a program that encourages euthanasia for those aged over 75? No, that's not true: This is a fictional plot point from a film called "Plan 75," released in 2022. The Japanese government does not have such a plan to tackle the aging population problem. The claim originally appeared on a TikTok…

Are patients undergoing cancer treatment likely to die twice as fast from cancer compared to patients who choose not to be treated? No, that's not true: a video circulating on social media refers to a series of scientific studies very popular in Japan in the early '90s whose results have been misrepresented. The claim appeared in a video (archived here)…