Conspiracy Theories Surge in Japan Following Kumamoto Earthquake

POLICY WIRE — Tokyo, Japan — Unsubstantiated claims alleging that the recent magnitude 7.1 earthquake in southwestern Japan was artificially induced have proliferated online. Experts have categorically dismissed these theories, citing insurmountable technological, financial, and practical barriers.

On July 28, the day the earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture, a social media user with a history of disseminating false earthquake claims posted that the “seismic wave is of an explosion, not a quake.” This post garnered approximately 3 million views as of Wednesday.

Seismologists — and geologists have uniformly rejected the notion of a man-made earthquake. The complexity — and scale required to generate such seismic activity are beyond current technological capabilities. the financial and logistical challenges make the theory impractical.

Despite expert opinions, the conspiracy theories continue to circulate, fueled by social media algorithms that amplify sensational content. The spread of misinformation in the wake of natural disasters is a growing concern, complicating relief and recovery efforts.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)