
Russia intensifies propaganda operations in Japan
RYO NAMIKI
TOKYO -- The dissemination of posts on the Japanese X account of a media outlet affiliated with the Russian government more than tripled in number in 2024 compared with the previous year, an indication that Russia has been intensifying its information operations in Japan.
Some posts appear to originate from Japan and contain disinformation about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as friendly messages aimed at gaining followers.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

6 hours ago
80 Years On: Thai Man Wants to Return Soldiers' Remains to Japan
Long, Thailand, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--A Thai man who built a memorial to Japanese soldiers killed by members of a Thai resistance group during World War II hopes that their remains will be returned to their home country. The memorial in the Long district in Phrae Province, northern Thailand, was built by Puchong, 83, a local man whose father was a member of the Free Thai resistance group, which fought against Imperial Japan. During World War II, Japan allied with Thailand, using the Southeast Asian country as a base for operations in India and Burma, now Myanmar. Thais dissatisfied with the alliance formed the anti-Japanese group, which expanded its presence in the country with support from the Allied forces. According to Puchong, whose father was a senior member of the group in the province, the two Japanese soldiers died in a gunfight with Free Thai fighters in the Wiang Ta subdistrict in Long about two years before the end of the war. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]


Nikkei Asia
8 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
China and Russia collaborate in global spread of surveillance states
Comment Political meddling in Georgia shows threat of growing authoritarian coordination Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping are working to expand their countries' influence in Georgia, a crucial South Caucasus link between Asia and Europe. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters) HIROYUKI AKITA TBILISI, Georgia -- It was a rare instance of a senior Chinese official speaking with unusual candor: On July 2, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas that he does not want to see Russia lose the war in Ukraine.

Nikkei Asia
9 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Marcos in India, Hiroshima anniversary, Joshua Wong trial
Welcome to Your Week in Asia. In the wake of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia over their disputed border, the two sides on Monday will work to resolve their differences at a special committee meeting. From the same day, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be in India following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with business engagements and meetings with the country's growing Filipino community on the agenda. Get the best of our coverage of Asia and much more by following us on X, where our handle is @NikkeiAsia. We are also now on Bluesky, with the handle @ MONDAY Thailand-Cambodia border committee meeting Thailand and Cambodia will hold a General Border Committee meeting in Malaysia to discuss the ongoing border dispute. The meeting, which will last until Thursday, is a follow-up to the cease-fire agreement reached last week between the two countries. The venue was changed from Phnom Penh at Thailand's request. Representatives from Malaysia, the U.S. and China will also attend as observers on the final day of the meeting. Marcos visits India Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. heads to India for his first state visit to the country in a bid to deepen diplomatic and economic ties. The five-day trip through Friday comes at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Marcos' visit follows the first joint maritime exercises between the two countries, which kicked off on Sunday, in waters near the South China Sea, a maritime flashpoint in the region with China. Ong Beng Seng hearing Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng is expected to plead guilty for his role in providing kickbacks to former Singapore transport minister S. Iswaran, who was given a year's jail term over the corruption case. He finished serving the sentence in June. Earnings: Mitsubishi Corp., Rohm, JFE TUESDAY Japanese automaker earnings Mazda Motor will release its April-June earnings on Tuesday, followed by Honda on Wednesday and Toyota on Thursday. Investors will be assessing how automakers are coping with the 25% U.S. automotive tariff introduced in April. Earnings: SoftBank Corp. Data: Singapore retail sales WEDNESDAY Hiroshima atomic bombing anniversary Japan will mark 80 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima amid worries over nuclear war following U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran in June and Russian aggression against Ukraine since 2022. Last year, a group of atomic bombing survivors won the Nobel Peace Prize for their persistent campaign against nuclear weapons. Philippine Senate on Sara Duterte impeachment case Philippine senators are set to convene to decide whether to proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, a week after the country's top court dismissed a previous impeachment attempt. The political maneuvering highlights the volatile nature of domestic politics as the Marcos and Duterte families remain locked in a feud. RBI monetary policy meeting The Reserve Bank of India is widely expected to hold its key policy rate after the conclusion of a monetary policy committee meeting, pausing a dovish cycle that saw a 100 basis point reduction over the past few months. Though the focus remains on spurring growth, the central bank shifted back to a "neutral" stance in June from the more dovish "accommodative" position it had taken two months prior, indicating that it would be cautious and closely parse incoming data before the next shift in interest rates. Data: Vietnam inflation, trade and industrial output Earnings: Cathay Pacific THURSDAY Data: Philippines gross domestic product Earnings: DBS, UOB, Sony FRIDAY China robot show Beijing's flagship robot conference is due to feature 1,500 exhibits from about 200 companies. On the list are 50 makers of humanoid robots -- a key area of focus for China as it strives to develop high-tech industries. Joshua Wong trial Prominent Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong once again faces trial, after he was charged in June for allegedly conspiring to collude with foreign forces. Wong, who was already sentenced last November to four years and eight months in prison for conspiracy to subvert state power, could see his prison time increase by anywhere from three years to a life sentence as a result of the new national security charge. Earnings: SGX Group, Tata Motors, State Bank of India, Eneos, Inpex, Idemitsu Kosan