Fabricated warning of Japanese minister against Chinese visa overstayers spreads online

"The statement by the Chinese consul in Osaka about beheading has turned Chinese people in Japan into victims. Minister Kimi Onoda will revoke the visas of 42,000 Chinese nationals illegally residing within 48 hours! Assets worth 300 billion yen ($1.92 billion) will be confiscated! A comprehensive investigation into illegal activities by Chinese nationals in Japan over the past 10 years will also be conducted," reads the traditional Chinese Threads post on November 11.

The post, which has received over 7,300 likes, includes a video of Onoda, Japan's minister overseeing policies on foreign nationals, delivering a speech in Japanese. 

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Screenshot of the false post captured on November 18, 2025, with a red X added by AFP

A diplomatic spat between Beijing and Tokyo has escalated after Takaichi -- a China hawk -- said on November 7 that the use of force against the self-ruled island claimed by China could warrant a military response from Tokyo (archived link).

The Chinese consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, threatened the next day in a now-deleted post on X to "cut off that dirty neck" -- apparently referring to Takaichi.

Beijing has also postponed the screening of two new Japanese movies in China, while its embassy in Japan warned its citizens against travelling to Japan. Tokyo has in turn asked its citizens in China to be aware of their safety and avoid large crowds. 

The feud has underscored the fragility of ties between the two countries with issues such as historical mistrust, territorial disputes, relations with the United States, and Taiwan being the flashpoints (archived link).

China and Taiwan have been ruled separately ever since Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist forces fled to the island in 1949, but Beijing has refused to rule out the use of force to seize control (archived link).

The false claim has spread elsewhere on Threads, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. It has also circulated in Japanese.

The posts have attracted comments who support the measures, with a user saying: "Japan did well. Taiwan really needs to learn from Japan and not be too weak."

Another person wrote: "This is a great response! Those Chinese wolf warrior diplomats must learn that their inappropriate nonsense has consequences."

A check on the official website of the House of Representatives found the video actually shows Onoda answering a question from a member of the budget committee in the House of Representatives on November 10. The same clip can be found at around six hours and 29 minutes into the recording of the meeting (archived link).

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Screenshot comparison of false post (L) with video from the House of Representatives Internet TV website

Onoda was addressing concerns over foreign nationals buying land in Japan, and said that policy discussions were underway to ascertain the nationalities of landowners. She added that the government would examine the impact of the situation on national security and international agreements and would work on reviewing the rules for land acquisition. 

She did not mention cancelling the visas of Chinese nationals in Japan, or confiscating their assets. 

According to the latest figures from Japan's Immigration Services Agency, there were 6,252 visa overstayers from China as of July 1 -- much less than the 42,000 figure in the false claim (archived link). 

There are no official announcements about the alleged measures on the website of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (archived link). AFP reached out to the ministry for comments but no response was forthcoming.

Onoda mentioned that the government would take appropriate measures against foreigners who do not follow rules and laws during a press conference on November 4, but she also said it was important to send the message that most foreigners in Japan are law-abiding citizens (archived link).

AFP has previously debunked claims linked to China-Japan relations.