- Researchers with the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies reported that a Chinese-linked online influence campaign targeted Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi around the time of Japan’s February 2026 elections.
- The campaign used dozens of accounts on X and Tumblr to spread narratives portraying Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister in October 2025 and leads the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, as corrupt, illegitimate and militaristic, while attempting to influence political debates in Japan and other countries.
- Analysts said the campaign was part of a broader network of more than 300 social media accounts promoting pro-China narratives and targeting political figures and elections in multiple countries. READ MORE
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