Are Japanese people made to believe that coronavirus and monkeypox exist, while they are actually fabricated diseases? No, that's not true: Both COVID-19 and monkeypox are confirmed illnesses recognized by global health organizations and scientific research. The claim appeared on a video (archived here) on TikTok on January 31, 2024, under the title (translated from Japanese to English by Lead…

Did excessive chlorine levels contaminate tap water in Japan? No, that's not true. National standards require tap water in Japan to contain chlorine at levels of 0.1 mg/L or higher. However, the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Waterworks aims to maintain chlorine levels between 0.1 mg/L and 0.4 mg/L to achieve better taste. The claim appeared in a TokTok video (archived…

Did Taro Kono, the Japanese minister for digital reform, make a speech asking Chinese people to take Japanese citizenship so that Japan can create "new Japanese"? No, that's not true: This was not a comment directed at Chinese people and was taken out of context from a discussion about immigration. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok…

Did the Japanese government deliberately tarnish comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto's career with a tabloid article to silence him? No, that's not true: The reporter who exposed Matsumoto has also revealed scandals implicating government officials. The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here) by @user70631290659282 on January 22, 2024. The video depicts a person standing outside a train station protesting Matsumoto's scandal. The…

Was the Eiffel Tower on fire in January 2024? No, that's not true: Live images of the Paris landmark showed the Eiffel Tower was never on fire and remains at the time of writing in normal condition. The video of a burning Eiffel Tower circulating on social media is the product of generative artificial intelligence (AI). The claim appeared on…

Do parents of children attending Chinese, North Korean and South Korean schools in Japan receive a subsidy from the Japanese government, while families with children in Japanese schools get no financial assistance? No, that's not true: Tuition assistance and subsidies are available to any low-income family, regardless of their nationality or the type of school. The claim appeared in a…

Was Japanese adoption agency Baby Life involved in "trafficking" and "selling" 300 babies to foreign adoptive parents for ¥300,000 (approximately 2,000 USD) each? No, that's not true. These babies were voluntarily put up for adoption by their parents, and the ¥300,000 fee was used to carry out background checks on potential adoptive parents to ensure their eligibility to adopt. The…

Is Japanese tea exported to the European Union organic and pesticide-free, while tea sold domestically is laced with pesticides and toxic substances? No, that's not true: Standards set by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and EU regulations both follow the Food and Agriculture Organization's Codex Alimentarius Guidelines for International Food Standards. This means that exported tea and…

Is there a special tax exemption for foreigners buying real estate or land in Japan that Japanese citizens do not receive? No, that's not true: There is a real estate transfer tax, a tax on fixed assets, and a town planning tax. These taxes are levied on all real estate buyers in Japan, regardless of whether they are Japanese or…

Was there an attempt to conceal the creation of an artificial earthquake in the Noto Peninsula by deleting news articles that reported three mysterious "bomb" noises? No, that's not true: The Hokuriku Electric Power Company has verified there were no explosions. It attributed the power outage and loud noises to a fallen tree. The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here)…