Japanese strategic scholar Shinji Ouyama: Cognitive warfare infiltrates and divides Japan, and most citizens are still unaware.

In today's information-saturated society, warfare is no longer limited to missiles and armies. With the popularity of smartphones and social media, a silent “cognitive war” is quietly unfolding. Japanese strategist Shinji Okuyama recently discussed this topic in the program “Bungeishunju Plus,” starting with the introduction of his latest translated work “Cognitive Warfare: Malicious Social Media Strategies,” warning that Japan is facing various forms of information manipulation from countries like China and Russia, and that most of the public remains unaware. He mentioned several social incidents in the program, including “Okinawa's push for independence” and the panic and division caused by news about “Fukushima's nuclear wastewater discharge,” which are examples of how Japanese society is being influenced by malicious social media.

The author of the book “Cognitive Warfare: Malicious Social Media Strategies” translated by Aoshan is Itai Yonat, an expert with practical experience who has worked for Israeli intelligence agencies. The company he founded specializes in addressing false information and information operations on social media. His book records several specific cases, making one deeply aware of the extent and complexity of contemporary cognitive warfare.

Experts warn: Smartphones have become a battlefield, Japan is unprepared.

Aosheng pointed out that Japanese people use smartphones for more than four hours on average each day, receiving a large amount of social media messages, yet neglecting that these everyday tools have become a medium for cognitive warfare. He emphasized that smartphones have long become the frontline for countries like China and Russia to launch information attacks, manipulating public opinion through social platforms, intensifying internal conflicts, and weakening the decision-making capabilities of democratic countries, which is indeed a key strategy in modern cognitive warfare.

Okinawa, Fukushima, and elections have become the targets of invasion in Japanese society.

In the program, Aoyama cited several examples targeting Japan. He believes that foreign forces particularly like to choose relatively remote areas such as Hokkaido and Okinawa. Okinawa has been filled with various historical grievances since ancient times, making it easier to be exploited. Among them, the push for Okinawa's independence has been utilized by foreign forces to intensify the conflict between local and central authorities. The discharge of water from Fukushima has been labeled as “discharge of nuclear waste contaminated water,” leading to false criticisms and boycotts both domestically and internationally, resulting in a sharp decline in the sales of Japanese seafood products. Furthermore, online operations during the election period have also become a key target for hostile forces. Aoyama pointed out that whenever there is an important political turning point, extreme statements and emotional incitement appear on social media, aiming to split public opinion and paralyze policy execution, preventing the country from making decisive decisions.

Internet celebrities are not spies but can become “useful asset tools”.

Internet celebrities or commentators often labeled as “spies” are analyzed by Aoshang from another level. He states that these individuals are not necessarily agents acting on command, but their actions actually benefit foreign forces. These people are seen as useful asset tools. He emphasizes that in modern cognitive warfare, as long as discourse can provoke division and contradiction, even if the motives are to make money or gain attention, they can be utilized as “favorable assets” for opposing forces. This not only raises vigilance but also shows that information warfare's infiltration is not a singular act, but rather hidden within daily life and public opinion operations.

The old man becomes the target of the attack.

Aoshian pointed out that the elderly are very susceptible to the influence of news information. He knows an elder who has a poor relationship with his family due to online conspiracy theories, and their relationship has worsened over time. These elderly individuals are long-term adherents to social media, where they are inundated with false information, and they may suddenly express opinions that lead to conflicts with their family.

Japan faces the greatest challenge of being inadequately prepared.

Oyamato also mentioned that Japanese society has long been influenced by post-war pacifism and information freedom, generally maintaining a reserved attitude towards government-led information management, which makes the ability to counter cognitive warfare extremely weak. “Japan's preparation for information warfare is very inadequate,” Oyamato bluntly stated. He pointed out that compared to countries like Taiwan and Singapore, Japan lacks effective civilian fact-checking and national-level corresponding strategies, allowing misinformation and divisive rhetoric to spread unchecked.

How to cope with cognitive warfare? Aoshans suggestions are as follows:

1. Enhance Media Literacy: Everyone using social media should be aware that they could become a participant or disseminator in information warfare. 2. Be Alert to Emotional Provocation: When encountering extreme emotions or controversial topics on social media, maintain skepticism and consider whether there are manipulative intentions behind them. 3. Establish Institutional Defensive Mechanisms: This includes fact-checking organizations, collaboration between public sectors and media, as well as improving the ability to identify information sources.

It's not 'fighting', but it's harder to guard against than war.

As Aoshans said in the program: “We are not fighting a traditional war, but we are deeply entrenched in another kind of war.” The frightening aspect of cognitive warfare is that it does not spill blood, yet it can subvert social consensus and destroy the foundations of democratic systems. The first step in combating this war is to realize that we are under attack.

Shinji Okuyama Introduction:

Shinji Ooyama was born in 1972 in Yokohama City. He is a geopolitical and strategic studies scholar with a doctorate in Strategic Studies. He currently serves as a senior researcher at the International Institute for Geopolitical Studies, is an editorial committee member of the Strategic Studies Association, and is a board member of the Clausewitz Society of Japan. His works, after graduating with a BA from the University of British Columbia in Canada, include “Geopolitics: The Global Strategic Map of the United States” and his latest translation, “Cognitive Warfare: Malicious Social Media Strategies.”

This article by Japanese strategic scholar Shinji Ooyama: Cognitive warfare infiltrates and divides Japan, and most people remain unaware. First appeared in Chain News ABMedia.