A wave of misleading videos pushing for Okinawa’s independence from mainland Japan is part of a wider disinformation campaign aimed at realigning the islands with China. In a recent investigation, the Nikkei found more than 200 fake accounts spreading misleading videos. Okinawa, which is close to Taiwan, has also been a cornerstone for Japan’s regional security since the end of World War II — with more than 70% of US military bases in Japan located in the prefecture. Rebecca Rosman explains the complicated history behind Okinawa’s independence movement, as well as the Chinese misinformation campaign fueling it.
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