Fake Yahoo News Site Reports Chinese Troops Attack Okinawa
Either someone was trying to make a political statement or pull a fast joke on Japanese news readers as a fake site was set up whch resembled Yahoo! Japan News exclaiming that China had invaded Okinawa. No jokes aside, this is excellent timing for such a hoax with Chinese tensions increasing over Japan Prime Minister Koizumi’s latest visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which houses memorials to Japanese war criminals along with those veterans who lost their lives in Japanese wars.
The Mainichi News reports that the fake Yahoo News site pointed to a bogus Kyodo News story written by a US based make believe Japanese reporter.
“Chinese troops invaded Okinawa in the predawn hours of Tuesday, U.S. Department of Defense officials said,” the story partly reads.
A link was attached to the genuine Yahoo site.
Both Yahoo Japan Corp. and Kyodo News are furious about the fake site, and are considering legal action against the owner of the it.
“The story is without foundation and has been fabricated. We’ll demand that the page be deleted and are considering filing a criminal complaint with law enforcers for damage to credit,” a Kyodo News official said.
Given that the people behind this were savvy enough to get into Yahoo News and cause such a stir, I’m surprised they decided to go with such an unbelieveable fake news hoax, especially with Donald “Rummy” Rumsfield visiting China right now.
