Tokyo: Senior members of the Japanese Defense Ministry and Self-Defense Forces have opened accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, to counter China's cognitive warfare by rapidly disseminating accurate information.
According to Philippines News Agency, in an unusual move for Japanese defense personnel, ministry spokesman Kimihito Aguin launched his X account on June 26. Following closely, Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, the top uniformed officer and chief of staff of the ministry's Joint Staff, opened his X account just a week later. Both accounts have successfully garnered over 30,000 followers each.
The initiation of these accounts came in response to a series of unilateral claims from China. Aguin, in his first post, refuted the Chinese Defense Ministry's accusations of Japan's alleged new militarism, declaring, "It contains claims not based on facts." He ensured his statement reached a wider audience by posting it in both English and Chinese.
While Aguin has been direct in his approach, Uchikura has adopted a more subdued strategy. He often shares posts from the official X account of the Joint Staff, adding detailed explanations. His posts feature videos of ships and aircraft engaged in multilateral exercises, along with images such as a naval officer receiving a letter of appreciation as a defense attache at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo.
Amid the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are increasingly aware of the threat posed by cognitive warfare. This type of warfare uses disinformation and manipulates perceptions to sway public judgment, shape opinions, and create societal divides.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi emphasized the danger of remaining silent in the face of misinformation, warning the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the House of Councillors, "If we just remain silent, even lies can come to be considered the truth."
Despite having official social media accounts and websites, a ministry official noted the importance of expanding channels to deliver correct information. "An environment allowing swift responses is also necessary," the official commented, particularly as the spread of disinformation is accelerated by advancements in artificial intelligence technology.
Professor Takahiro Tsuchiya of Kyoto University of Foreign Studies underscored the necessity of immediate rebuttals and consistent information dissemination in counteracting cognitive warfare. He stressed, "It's important to keep building a reputation that the information from the Defense Ministry and the SDF is reliable." However, Tsuchiya also advised caution to avoid "carelessly disclosing sensitive information or internal decision-making processes."
