A U.S. research organization focused on national security and foreign policy reported that around the time Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was elected in February, dozens of X accounts linked to Chinese disinformation campaigns targeted her conservative stance and tough position on China.
According to Reuters, Maria Riofrio, a researcher at the Network and Technology Innovation Center of the “Defending Democracy Foundation,” said that these 35 accounts, along with 9 channels on microblogging platform Tumblr, spread corruption allegations and depicted Takaichi as an illegitimate and militaristic leader.
She said the accounts also suggested Takaichi was reckless, supported by cults, and leading Japan toward war.
Riofrio’s latest analysis points out that these accounts are part of a network of at least 327 X and other social media accounts, which since December of last year or earlier have continuously attacked Beijing’s opponents or promoted pro-China policies, targeting human rights organizations and attempting to influence domestic politics in Japan, the U.S., the Philippines, and Latin America.
She stated that these recent actions are likely part of what cybersecurity analysts call “spamouflage” or “Dragonbridge,” long-term Chinese information warfare operations.
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Riofrio said these actions demonstrate that “China intends to interfere in Japan’s elections and domestic affairs,” and emphasized that the entire cluster similarly targets other countries, including the U.S.
Among the 327 affected accounts, nearly half attacked U.S. President Donald Trump, claiming his drug and border policies worsened America’s fentanyl crisis, reversed progress made during former President Joe Biden’s term, and shifted blame away from China.
Experts also noted that operations like spamouflage and Dragonbridge have been active since at least 2017 and repeatedly targeted audiences worldwide over the years.
A spokesperson for Google’s Threat Intelligence team said Dragonbridge is currently the most active China-aligned information operation group they monitor, a status that has held through early 2026.
The Google spokesperson added that while Dragonbridge still targets Americans, overseas dissidents, government critics, and international NGOs, its operations in the Asia-Pacific region have become more active, including actions targeting Japanese political leaders, Japan-Taiwan relations, Vietnam in the South China Sea, India, and the Philippine government.
