Abstract

Disinformation has become a pervasive concern within Japan’s contemporary media environment, yet empirical research on how ordinary citizens perceive and respond to misleading information remains limited. This study examines the sociocultural, political, and technological dimensions of disinformation in Japan, investigating public attitudes through an original survey of 286 respondents conducted in 2025. Drawing on prior scholarship on media trust, digital ecosystems, right-wing mobilization, and inoculation theory, this research identifies key structural factors that shape vulnerability to misinformation. The findings reveal widespread exposure to misleading content across both digital and traditional media channels, fragmented patterns of media trust, significant gaps in confidence and competence in misinformation detection, and low yet inconsistent fact-checking practices. Messaging apps, television, and online news sites emerged as primary vectors of misleading information, while trust in media sources showed strong polarization. Respondents widely perceived the elderly and middle-aged as the most vulnerable demographic groups, attributing susceptibility primarily to peer influence, trust in authority, and low digital literacy. These results underscore the need for more comprehensive media literacy initiatives and context-specific “prebunking” strategies in Japan. The study contributes to existing scholarship by focusing on public perception and behavior, an underexamined dimension in Japanese disinformation research, and by providing empirical insights into the everyday mechanisms through which misinformation circulates.