Tokyo Shimbun Deletes Controversial Column, Admits 'Error' in Claims of Online Nationalist Slogans
The Tokyo Shimbun's New Year's column, titled “Stemming the Enthusiasm” and penned by its special features department head, published on January 1, 2026, in both its morning edition and online, ignited fierce criticism on the internet over its content, leading to its complete deletion on January 8. The statement that drew particular scrutiny was at the beginning of the column: "'What can China do to us?', 'Advance, 100 million fireballs!', 'Japanese citizens, become kamikaze!'. The internet is overflowing with these aggressive words." Many social media users questioned this assertion and began to verify whether these phrases were indeed "overflowing" online. Using AI search tools, it was discovered that in 2025, posts on X (formerly Twitter) containing "Advance, 100 million fireballs!" numbered approximately 40, while "What can China do to us?" appeared in about 30 to 40 posts. Critics quickly pointed out that thes...