Japan's Security / Peace & Stability of the International Community

January 17, 2025
Japanese

As geopolitical competition intensifies, international information warfare in the cognitive domain through information manipulation, including spread of disinformation, is a constant occurrence, as have been particularly conspicuous over the situation in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine. Foreign information manipulation, in which state and non-state actors deliberately spread disinformation and/or narratives to undermine confidence in Japan's policies or to impede democratic processes and international cooperation, is becoming increasingly important to address.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is aware of this and, based on the National Security Strategy, is steadily strengthening its information gathering, analysis and communication capabilities in response to information warfare through the cooperation of its information, policy and communication divisions. Also, in responding to foreign information manipulation, resilience of the society, including literacy of people, media, think tanks and NGOs, is extremely important. As attempts of spreading disinformation, which is consistent with the facts, have been observed in the case of ALPS treated water, the Ministry responded to them by various efforts such as issuance of press releases denying the disinformation.
Based on the understanding that countries sharing the same concerns over foreign information manipulation should take concerted action, the US Japan Memorandum of Cooperation on Countering Foreign Information Manipulation was signed on December 6, 2023. Besides, in the G7, through issuance of statements on the leaders’ and foreign ministers’ level as well as the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) (PDF) Open a New Window , we are advancing efforts towards steadily strengthening capabilities to make coordinated response to foreign information manipulation, and through bilateral consultations, we have been holding discussions on information manipulation, and been promoting cooperation with other countries and regions that share the same values.

1. Cooperation with foreign governments

（1）Cooperation with the US

The two sides signed Memorandum of Cooperation on countering foreign information manipulation and concurred on the direction for future collaboration to identify and counter foreign information manipulation and steady improvement of capacities to jointly counter foreign information manipulation.

（2）Cooperation among the G7

Among the G7, the leaders and the foreign ministers issue statements mentioning cooperation on response to information manipulation to advance efforts towards steadily strengthening capabilities to make coordinated response to foreign information manipulation.
In the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) (PDF)Open a New Window, like-minded countries exchange information on how to respond to attempts to manipulate information, including the spread of disinformation.

（3）Outreach activities

A workshop on countering disinformation was held with Southeast Asian countries to exchange views on their awareness of the situation regarding disinformation and the state of countermeasures.

2. Individual cases in Japan

[ALPS treated water]

3. Published documents by foreign countries

（1）The USOpen a New Window

The US Government has published reports and other information on disinformation and manipulative activities against the cyberspace on the situation in Ukraine and other issues.

（2）EUOpen a New Window

Through its task force projects, the EEAS (the European External Action Service) publishes information on disinformation campaigns against EU countries and neighboring countries, as well as on manipulative activities against the cyberspace.

（3）NATOOpen a New Window

NATO has published fact sheets and other information on disinformation about NATO over the situation in Ukraine.

(Note) For further information on the information manipulation over the situation in Ukraine, please refer here (U.S. Department of State website)Open a New Window and here (EU vs Disinfo website)Open a New Window.

4. Related documents

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