Communities are still on high alert for seismic activity following the earthquake in northeastern Japan on April 20. The magnitude 7.7 quake struck off Iwate Prefecture, causing tsunami waves that reached up to 80 centimeters high in the region. People living along coastal areas across 182 municipalities from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefectures are on alert until April 27 for a potential mega quake. One thing that occurred after the earthquake could be doing a different kind of damage: misinformation and fake posts.

Fake information floods social media

Fake posts began circulating right after Monday’s tsunami warning. While some social media posts about the quake contained accurate information, others did not.


A fake post that has been viewed over 1.9 million times

This post was widely shared on X immediately after the earthquake. It said that a tsunami warning had been issued and included footage. But the video was actually from the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. The post has been viewed over 1.9 million times.

Another post below, with the caption “tsunami observed,” used a video created with generative AI. It’s just the latest instance of disinformation spreading on social media following a seismic event.


This video was made with AI.

During disasters, people can become anxious, and they want to know right away what happened and what will happen next. But some take advantage of the situation to get attention, posting false information or misleading videos.

In addition to using footage from past disasters, there are now highly realistic visuals created with generative AI, which make it increasingly difficult to tell what is real.

Fake posts claim to predict earthquakes

Misinformation around seismic events also comes in the form of unfounded predictions of coming earthquakes.

Some accounts post these false claims constantly. This means that some could ultimately happen, even though this simply reflects random chance, not scientific analysis.


Fake posts on social media make phony earthquake predictions.

One account on X makes such claims almost every day. It also posted about a possible earthquake in the same region as the quake that hit on Monday, which could make the claims seem accurate. But seismic activity is very likely off the coast of Sanriku. It’s misleading for these accounts to assert any special knowledge or insight.

Japan Meteorological Agency: Impossible to predict earthquakes

The Japan Meteorological Agency warns that it is impossible to predict the exact date, location or strength of an earthquake with modern science. It says that anybody doing so should be ignored. People need to be careful about this kind of information, especially when they feel vulnerable.

Fake claims can involve financial fraud

Some spam posts also have the potential to be financially dangerous. NHK has tracked messages on X this week piggybacking on searches, using keywords related to the disaster.


This spam post says that stocks are about to soar and that more information is available via a messaging app.

Some posts such as this one link to a messaging app. The post appears to encourage people to make investments and buy stocks ― potentially financial fraud. Sometimes these posts appear every few seconds. NHK confirmed that over 15,000 were published by more than 2,500 accounts within a day.

Use caution when looking for information on disasters

People can easily get drawn in by shocking or emotionally charged content about natural disasters, especially right after one occurs. But it’s advised to check the accounts and see what kind of posts they usually make.

If the source is unclear or suspicious, it’s important not to casually share the post or “like” it. Instead, check information from public agencies or reliable news organizations.

It’s essential to be vigilant in the coming days since parts of Japan are under a seismic advisory following the earthquake. Being prepared is critical, but it is also important not to be misled by false information.