Abstract
In recent years, foreign disinformation campaigns have been increasingly recognized as a national security threat in many Western countries, prompting the development of stronger countermeasures. Behind this shift lies growing concern about the impact of disinformation on democracy and elections, particularly due to the proliferation of social media and rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Key events such as the 2016 U.S. presidential election and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine significantly heightened global perception of these threats. In contrast, Japan’s countermeasures have remained limited until recently. However, the revision of the National Security Strategy in December 2022 marked a shift toward more serious efforts to address disinformation campaigns mainly by foreign actors. This study investigates why Japan, which has shown relatively low levels of concern regarding disinformation issues, has begun to strengthen its policy response in recent years. It analyzes the government’s decision-making processes and the implementation of related policies, while also examining the policy challenges that Japan currently faces. In particular, the paper identifies three key issues in Japan: (1) ambiguity in the definition of disinformation, (2) biased perceptions of the problem, and (3) the limited range of actors involved in countermeasures. By comparing these findings with cases from Western countries, this study aims to propose future policy directions for Japan to address disinformation in a more comprehensive and sustainable manner.
