Yomiuri to Fact-Check Online Election Info in Partnership with Other Media Firms

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, June 5, 2025

The Yomiuri Shimbun and three other media companies belonging to the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association will partner to fact-check election-related information online. The three other firms are Saga Shimbun Co., Jiji Press, Ltd. and Nippon Television Network Corp.

Their fact-checking will mainly cover information about national elections. Local elections will also be checked if necessary. Their first project will be covering Tokyo’s metropolitan assembly election, for which campaigning will begin on June 13. The companies will also call on other media companies to join the scheme.

The fact-checking will examine information online and determine if it is accurate based on solid evidence, with the results then made public. Similar work is being conducted by media companies and other firms in Japan and abroad to counter widespread misinformation and disinformation online.

The four companies participating in the venture will cooperate to verify whether information is true by collecting and analyzing evidence, and will report the results through their platforms. They expect their cooperation will improve the fairness and credibility of their fact-checking and help convey the results to a broader audience.

Information will be classified into five categories: “accurate,” “mostly accurate,” “basis unclear,” “inaccurate” and “false.” These judgments will be published alongside the reasoning behind them.

Some kinds of information, such as anonymous testimonies collected by reporters, will not be used as evidence, as the sources cannot be shared.

The new venture will target election-related information, as information spread online via social media, video-sharing sites and other mediums has significantly affected election campaigns and their results.

Elections are the core of democracy. If they are distorted by information that is fake or unverifiable, it could undermine democracy. During elections, defamatory statements are often shared. When such defamation spreads online, the targeted individual or organization may suffer as a result.

The fact-checking will examine whether information is accurate or not. It will not pass judgment on individuals’ opinions, thoughts or beliefs. For the media firms to avoid appearing biased, they will also have to carefully consider what information they check.

The four companies will make their fact-checks in cooperation with the Japan Fact-check Center. The center was established by the Safer Internet Association in 2022. It has been certified by the International Fact-Checking Network and conducted fact-checking for elections and various other fields.