Who is funding online anti-China narratives in Japan?

Japan's major crowdsourcing platform CrowdWorks has come under scrutiny for allegedly hosting paid recruitment posts to produce short videos that praise Japan, attack China and amplify right-wing narratives.

An investigation by Asahi Shimbun found that a single contractor posted at least 14 recruitment ads over the course of one year, explicitly seeking content aimed at "criticizing China."

Further reporting revealed a long-running outsourcing chain – from hiring creators to produce or AI-generate sensational videos, to paying for likes, comments and reposts – blurring the line between genuine public opinion and manufactured propaganda. 

The revelations have prompted many Japanese netizens to question whether political forces are shaping online discourse behind the scenes. 

(With input from Xinhua)