China articles questioning Japan’s sovereignty over Okinawa surge

Articles by Chinese media questioning the history of and Japan’s sovereignty over Okinawa Prefecture surged in November, analysis showed, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a Taiwan emergency sharply deteriorated Tokyo-Beijing ties.

The number of Chinese articles using terms, such as “Ryukyu”—a historical name for the former island kingdom that includes present-day Okinawa—and “independence” increased by around 20-fold to about 600 last month from a year earlier.

Assertions casting doubt on Okinawa’s status as Japanese territory became more prominent, suggesting a possible propaganda campaign triggered by Takaichi’s comments.