Chinese influence operation targets Japan elections, Trump, other countries, US foundation says

Feb 26 – In the days surrounding Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s February election win, several dozen X accounts linked to a Chinese misinformation campaign attacked her deeply conservative views and hawkish approach to China, said a U.S. research institute focused on national security and foreign policy. The 35 accounts, along with nine channels on the microblogging site Tumblr, pushed corruption allegations and portrayed Takaichi as illegitimate and militaristic. The accounts suggest the prime minister is a reckless “cult-backed” leader driving Japan toward war, said Maria Riofrio, a researcher with the Foundation for Defense of Democracy’s Center on Cyber and…