‘Exterminating the Japanese race’: baseless QAnon conspiracy theories spread, mutate in Japan

Like its US counterpart, Japan’s QAnon community centres on the belief that Donald Trump is battling to save the world from a cabal of paedophiles

Japanese QAnon followers have also incorporated domestic ‘conspiracies’ involving WWII, the 2011 nuclear disaster and Emperor Emeritus Akihito

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A car with a QAnon flag drives by as supporters of President Donald Trump gather for a rally in Minnesota earlier this month. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:13am, 30 Nov 2020Updated: 11:13am, 30 Nov 2020

QAnon’s days as a solely US phenomenon are over. The conspiracy theory’s foothold in Japan – home to one of its most active networks outside the US – shows how the movement can be made palatable in a range of countries as it gains popularity from Europe to Brazil.

Research by social media analytics firm Graphika Inc. shows the Japan-based QAnon community is among the most developed international chapters, with distinct terminology, influencers, and behaviours – such as idolising Michael Flynn, a former US national security adviser in the Trump administration.

“What we’re seeing now is an adaptation of US QAnon taking root in European countries, whereas in Japan and Brazil, it does seem to be slightly more independent and self-sustaining as an ideology,” said Melanie Smith, head of analysis at Graphika. She attributes the increasing prominence of QAnon to the US election and the pandemic.

This internationalisation presents an uphill battle for social media companies already facing increased pressure from governments to combat disinformation on their platforms in English, let alone myriad other languages. Donald Trump’s refusal to concede the election to President-elect Joe Biden has prompted many of his supporters to say without proof that the election was stolen.

Donald Trump is set to be replaced as US president by Joe Biden in January. Photo: Reuters

Lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign and its Republican allies have failed in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona as the legal team has failed to produce any evidence of widespread fraud that would change the results. However Trump supporters’ accusations continue, potentially giving fresh life to conspiracy theories such as QAnon after the president leaves office.