Russian Interference in Japanese Elections Raises Alarm as Kremlin Adopts New Digital Tactics

Concern is mounting over Russian interference in Japanese elections as the Kremlin’s online influence operations enter a more sophisticated phase. Security experts are warning that Russia’s digital tactics have evolved beyond traditional disinformation campaigns to include more targeted approaches in Japan’s political landscape.

During Japan’s July 20 House of Councillors election, allegations of foreign interference came to light when Ichirō Yamamoto of the Japan Institute of Law and Information Systems reported that Russian bots were actively posting disinformation during the official campaigning period. Five accounts on X (formerly Twitter) identified by Yamamoto were suspended the following day.

Experts note that formal investigations into these activities often yield limited results, as Russia’s overseas influence operations are designed to spread through unwitting accomplices, making intent difficult to prove.

The scale of Russia’s information warfare has reached unprecedented levels, according to Bruno Kahl, president of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service. He has characterized cyber and hybrid attacks as the centerpiece of Russia’s “new warfare,” designed to weaken opponents from within. Similar operations have been linked to electoral successes of Russia-friendly candidates across European countries including France, Georgia, Moldova, and Romania.

Russia’s latest strategy involves creating large networks of trolls and automated bot accounts that target social media posts by influential figures. This approach allows even new accounts with minimal followers to reach massive audiences by inserting themselves into conversations led by users with large followings.

International affairs expert Ichihara Maiko experienced this phenomenon firsthand when she shared a Nikkei article about Russian influence operations in Japan. Despite having fewer than 5,000 followers, her post generated 533 comments and quote posts, with approximately 32% coming from accounts aligned with Russian narratives.

“My analysis concluded that about 32% of the negative replies and quote posts were from these Russia-aligned accounts. A full 94 such accounts responded with a total of 218 comments and quote posts,” Ichihara noted. When considering subsequent reposts and quotes, the reach of Russia’s disinformation ecosystem becomes even more extensive.

The U.S. Department of Justice revealed in July 2024 that it had identified nearly 1,000 fake accounts associated with a bot farm operated by Russia’s Federal Security Service. Wall Street Journal tech reporter Alexa Corse explained that Russia’s strategy involves creating numerous small accounts that propagate Kremlin-aligned information through comments on influential accounts, ensuring that if some accounts are shut down, others continue spreading propaganda.

A particularly concerning development is what experts call “LLM grooming,” where pro-Kremlin content is systematically fed into artificial intelligence chatbots. AI tools that scan the internet for information are learning from content generated by Russia’s state-controlled media and published on networks of pro-Russia websites.

The nonprofit American Sunlight Project discovered this phenomenon in February 2025, finding that Kremlin-linked content mills produce more than 3.6 million items of Russian propaganda annually. For instance, the Pravda network publishes numerous news stories translated into various languages, including Japanese. The Japanese-language website Pravda Nihon posts as many as 250 pro-Russia items daily, sourced from Russian state media and Telegram.

This propaganda has already affected AI chatbot outputs. An August 2025 audit by NewsGuard found that leading generative AI tools repeated false information on controversial news topics 35% of the time on average—a sharp increase from previous assessments.

Russia’s online operations targeting democratic elections aim not just to spread pro-Russia information but to destabilize societies by amplifying existing divisions. In the lead-up to Japan’s recent election, Russia-aligned accounts frequently commented on controversial topics such as maternal age risks, vaccination safety, and Japan-US relations.

Experts emphasize that Russian interference has only succeeded in electing Russia-friendly candidates in countries where pro-Russia elements were already prominent in the political landscape. Nevertheless, Japan must remain vigilant, particularly against the influence of questionable Russian financial interests and cross-border financial crimes.

To strengthen democratic resilience, security experts recommend rebuilding interpersonal trust and creating more opportunities for face-to-face discussions where compromises can be reached respectfully, rather than allowing divisive online interactions to dominate public discourse.