In a recent development, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s response to a query about Taiwan has stirred backlash from China (CCP), prompting a call for citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. A circulating post on social media featured a price list from a restaurant in Tsukiji with the headline “Emergency Price Reduction Due to Decrease in Chinese Tourists.” However, the “Japan Fact-Check Center” clarified on Monday (December 1) that this was misleading information, as the restaurant had already started reducing prices prior to the incident.
The Fact-Check Center pointed out that on November 25, a post appeared on social media with a photo claiming that “Tsukiji, with the disappearance of Chinese tourists, had to reduce prices temporarily.” The photo depicted a menu board outside a restaurant in Tsukiji, Tokyo, displaying items such as “Tuna Bowl,” “Rare Bowl,” and “Tsukiji Bowl,” with a sign on the ground indicating “Limited-time Price Reduction.”
By November 28, the post had been shared over 1,100 times and viewed over 830,000 times. Some netizens commented that the prices on the menu were slightly higher than market rates, with one questioning, “Even after the reduction, it’s still this price, how much did they charge before?” Another netizen speculated, “Isn’t this just spreading false information?” Consequently, the Fact-Check Center felt the need to verify the authenticity of the claims.
Upon examining the problematic photo online, it became apparent that the same photo had been circulating on websites as early as August this year, featuring identical menu items, prices, and the “Limited-time Price Reduction” sign. Although the exact date of the photo could not be confirmed, it was evident that the restaurant had already reduced prices in August, prior to Takaichi’s response regarding Taiwan.
The fact-checking conclusion emphasized that while the recent cancellations of trips by Chinese tourists may be valid, the price reduction at the Tsukiji restaurant had no direct correlation with Takaichi’s statements or the decrease in Chinese tourists. It was deemed as a deliberately misleading post that sought to falsely link two unrelated events.
This information was sourced from Central News Agency.