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A powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, on New Year’s Day, causing severe damage in Wajima City, Suzu City, and other areas. Today, police arrested a 25-year-old man who posed as a disaster victim, spreading false distress messages on social media, which disrupted rescue operations. He has been charged with “obstruction of business by deception.”
According to NHK, the man, named Ryota Kanemaru, posted multiple fake rescue pleas on social media about three hours after the Noto Peninsula earthquake. He pretended to be various victims, posting messages like, “My house has collapsed, my family is trapped inside, can someone help us?” Police and rescue teams were dispatched to the reported locations, only to find no one in need of help, thus uncovering his deceit.
Upon arrest, Kanemaru admitted to his actions, stating that he “wanted to gain public attention” and intentionally posted the fake messages. A local resident in his 40s, whose address was used in one of the fake posts, expressed anger during an NHK interview, pointing out that the false messages diverted significant rescue resources to fictitious emergencies, potentially delaying aid to those genuinely in need.
Police revealed that more than 1,000 fake posts related to the earthquake appeared on social media after the quake. They are continuing to investigate the sources and impact of these false messages.