In October 2024, Professor Maiko Ichihara of the Graduate School of Law published a paper titled “Influence Operations through Social Networking Service by Authoritarian States: Objectives, Methods, and Japan’s Response” in the Security Forum. In this paper, Professor Ichihara explains the objectives, targets, and methods of influence operations through social media conducted by authoritarian states, and discusses Japan’s countermeasures and challenges in responding to such operations. First, she categorizes the objectives of these operations into three levels: the state level, the societal level, and the individual level, and that these levels are interrelated. As to the methods used in influence operations on social media, she also discusses the vast amounts of disinformation and malicious content are disseminated from various accounts and platforms. Furthermore, she points out that local actors, who often obscure their ties to China or Russia, are frequently utilized in coordinated operations. After reviewing the response strategies of governments, including those of the United States and the EU, she acknowledges that the Japanese government has been ramping up its efforts to address influence operations. However, she identifies several weaknesses in Japan’s approach: the target overly focuses on disinformation, inter-agency coordination within the government is insufficient, and efforts to mobilize private-sector capabilities are still lacking.

https://tachibanashobo.co.jp/products/detail/3935