70 Pct of Japanese Sense Foreign Information Manipulation

Tokyo, March 6 (Jiji Press)–An opinion poll by Japan’s Foreign Ministry showed Friday that 68.0 pct of respondents feel that disinformation about international affairs is spreading online. The result suggests that concern about information manipulation by foreign countries is growing in the country. The share of those who said they did not encounter such disinformation stood at 26.6 pct. When asked how they confirm the authenticity of information, with multiple answers allowed, 87.8 pct of those who detected disinformation online said that they relied on Japanese news organizations. Of them, 44.0 pct used newspapers and magazines as well as television and radio programs, while 43.8 pct used the internet and smartphone news apps. Additionally, 50.3 pct said they checked information from the Japanese government. The poll also found that a total of 79.3 pct of all respondents think either very much or somewhat that the security environment in East Asia has grown more severe in recent years. Among them, 59.3 pct expressed hopes that Japan will strengthen cooperation with the United States and other friendly nations to prevent the security environment from deteriorating further. When asked what should be particularly emphasized in Japan-China relations, the most common response was that Japan should take a strong stance against intrusions into Japanese territorial waters by Chinese vessels, at 52.9 pct. This was followed by ensuring peace and stability in the region, at 46.7 pct, and ensuring the safety and security of Japanese residents, at 31.4 pct. The poll was conducted by phone from Feb. 10 to 18 among people aged 18 and older nationwide, with responses received from 1,000 people. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]