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Video shows anti-war protests in Osaka and Tokyo, not local residents, “demanding the return of the Ryukyu Islands to China”

Video shows anti-war protests in Osaka and Tokyo, not local residents, “demanding the return of the Ryukyu Islands to China”

<span>Screenshot of the false X post taken on October 17, 2024</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/_D_9l06kDEeNqItOZNHaPg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEwNzA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp_factcheck_uk_202/7bf7a2ae7d58 45bde585927192558e96″/><span></div> </div> </div> <div class=
Screenshot of the false X post taken on October 17, 2024

According to an October 2024 investigation by Japanese newspaper Nikkei, a wave of misleading videos claiming that Okinawa is Chinese territory has flooded social media since 2023 (archived link).

According to the report, the misleading posts came after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first public comments on the Ryukyu Islands in June 2023, in which he spoke of China’s close ties with the islands.

The video was also shared elsewhere on X and on Facebook, along with similar claims. Weibo And Douyinthe Chinese version of TikTok.

However, the video does not show Okinawa residents protesting for a “return” to China.

Anti-war protests

Keyword searches led to a photo shared on Facebook on October 6, 2024 that showed the van seen in the false video at an anti-war protest (archived link).

Below is a comparison of the van seen in the fake video (left) and the Facebook protest (right):

<span>Screenshot comparison of the van in the falsely shared clip (left) and the same van from a protest photo shared on Facebook (right)</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/cAKmx1C2pVf5rCjBtzSDiw–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTMwNw–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp_factcheck_uk_202/a0a6373e25f 6194baf9d4d737c7fbb3b”/><span><button class=

Screenshot comparison of the van in the falsely shared clip (left) and the same van from a protest photo shared on Facebook (right)

The Japanese-language post said it was a protest against the state secrets law of December 6, 2013.

Keyword searches on Google using the Japanese characters on the banner on the van at the front of the rally resulted in a website titled: “Abolition of the Martial Law and the State Secrets Act” (archived link).

They refer to laws passed by the Japanese parliament in 2013 and 2015 that critics argued would curtail press freedom and open the door for the Japanese military to fight abroad for the first time since World War II (archived links here and here).

The website tracks demonstrations that have taken place since 2013.

Elements seen in the false video also suggest that the video was located in Osaka’s Nishi District (archived link).

Below is a screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (left) and the Google Street View images from Osaka (right), with relevant features highlighted by AFP:

<span>Screenshot comparison of the incorrectly shared clip (left) and Google Street View images from Osaka (right)</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/TyFJj4Vh0GQBGpHlSaH.AA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTI4NQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp_factcheck_uk_202/a0f2037f20f6 f9105d87ffcf8cd50536″ /><span><button class=

Screenshot comparison of the incorrectly shared clip (left) and Google Street View images from Osaka (right)

A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the second clip in the wrong post resulted in a longer video posted to TikTok on April 29 (archived link).

The TikTok video shows a protest in Tokyo’s Shibuya district (archived link).

Below is a screenshot comparison of the erroneously shared clip (left) and the Google Street View images from Tokyo (right), with relevant features highlighted by AFP:

<span>Screenshot comparison of the incorrectly shared clip (left) and Google Street View images from Tokyo (right)</span>” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/pktU8sy7P39.1v72iylLcQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTI4NQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp_factcheck_uk_202/d9f7dd44963aca3 dcbf7d050398ef94c” /><span><button class=

Screenshot comparison of the incorrectly shared clip (left) and Google Street View images from Tokyo (right)

The rally came after the United States and Japan announced a “significant upgrade” of their defense ties to counter China on April 10 (archived link).

While the Japanese-language protest banners translate as “Okinawa Day April 28, Rally and Demonstration in Shibuya,” articles from protesters (here and here) suggest that the rally was an “expression of anger” at the government of then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was concerned about fears that conflict with China could turn Okinawa into a battlefield (archived links here and here).

AFP previously debunked another false claim that Okinawan students celebrated China’s National Day by singing a patriotic Chinese song.