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[Blog] Pro-Russian Propaganda in Hatoyama’s Tweets

Yukio Hatoyama, the former Prime Minister of Japan, is known for his pro-Russian stance, which he upheld even after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Although pro-Russian propaganda may not be as prevalent in Japan as in some Western countries, it is still discernible in social media, particularly through the activity of certain […]

[Article] The Far Right and the Dissemination of COVID-19-Related Disinformation and Conspiracy Narratives in Japan: the Metapolitics of Kobayashi Yoshinori

Abstract: The initial lack of scientific consensus regarding COVID-19 and public controversies concerning implemented countermeasures have created fertile soil for the circulation of disinformation and conspiracy narratives. Applying a mixed-methods discourse analysis, we examine the use of typical rhetorical strategies and metaphors of conspiracy narratives and disinformation, and we study overlaps with discursive strategies of the […]

[Blog] Lone, but not alone: right-wing terrorism and militant accelerationism in Japan

Over the past few years, the world has witnessed an apparent increase in ostensibly decentralized right-wing terrorist attacks by individuals who appear to act solely on their own behalf (i.e. without receiving instructions or material support from specific terrorist organizations). In response, criminologists have coined the term “lone wolf terrorism” for this strand of terrorism. […]

[Article] “From Y”: A mixed-method analysis of the Twitter Account of Abe Shinzō’s killer

In this article, we conduct a multidisciplinary, quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Twitter account of Abe Shinzo’s murderer. Based on our findings, we argue against the framing of the perpetrator’s motives as stemming from a non-political, personal grudge and instead highlight the relevance of the different layers that make up his ideological beliefs. This research article is part of a larger project that deals with the immediate aftermath of the murder and its repercussions on social media.

[Article] Administrative Measures Against Far-Right Protesters

Japan’s pre-emptive approach to far-right demonstrations has had a significant impact. Far-right street protests accompanied by hate speech have been rapidly decreasing, although Japan has not introduced penalties. Why did the Japanese approach have such an effect? While the regulation of hate speech in Japan has been discussed mainly in legal studies, Japan’s use of […]

[Article] Japan’s Shift to the Right: Computational Propaganda, Abe Shinzō’s LDP, and Internet Right-Wingers (Netto Uyo)

Abstract: In recent years, academic research and investigative reports have brought to light several cases of computational propaganda (i.e. orchestrated attempts to manipulate public opinion or the outcome of elections via social media), as well as proof that filter algorithms amplify right-wing conservative content on Japanese social media. Piecing together the scattered pieces of a puzzle, […]

[Article] Abe’s Digital Legacy

Schäfer, Fabian (2021): Abe’s Digital Legacy. In: Public Jurist – Hong Kong Journal of Law and Public Affairs (Januar). p. 19-24.

[Article] Politics in the Age of Connective Cynicism

Schäfer, Fabian (2020): Politics in the Age of Connective Cynicism. In: Kümmerle, Harald und Franz Waldenberger (Hrsg.): The Digital Transformation Implications for the Social Sciences and the Humanities. Tokyo: Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien (Tokyo). p. 50-58.

[Article] A Corpus-Linguistic Analysis of Media Discourses on Nuclear Phase-Out in Japan, 2011-2014

Abstract: The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster led to catastrophic environmental and economic consequences in Japan, leading to a temporary shift in public attitudes towards nuclear energy not only in Japan but globally. In 2011, the Japanese DPJ-led government gained worldwide attention for their plan to phase-out. However, while some countries seized the opportunity to transition […]

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