On March 20, 2025, “China’s ‘Malinformation’ Comes for Okinawa,” authored by Professor Maiko Ichihara (Graduate School of Law, Hitotsubashi University), was published in The Diplomat. This article explains China’s intensifying influence operations against Japan using malinformation about Okinawa. Professor Maiko Ichihara argues that countering these malicious information campaigns requires a whole-of-society approach. As the government is inept at creating emotional stories that can unite social values and norms, it is necessary to strengthen countermeasures by fostering an environment where private actors willing to disseminate pro-democracy messages can flourish.

https://thediplomat.com/2025/03/chinas-malinformation-comes-for-okinawa/