(ECNS) — Job postings on a Japanese recruitment web site looking for creators to provide content material important of China and favorable to Japan have sparked public backlash, with social media customers questioning the funding behind the tasks and urging better transparency and investigation.
In line with Japanese media stories, inappropriate job postings have lately surfaced on native recruitment platform Cloud Works. These listings sought creators to provide so-called “China-critical” and “Japan-praising” content material.
(Photograph: Screenshot from a report by The Asahi Shimbun)
Work would come with writing scripts for YouTube movies and enhancing them utilizing AI-generated photos and different instruments. Scriptwriting charges reportedly ranged from 1,500 (about $9.65) to five,000 yen, whereas enhancing charges ranged from 2,000 to 7,000 yen.
Primarily based on job listings reviewed by The Asahi Shimbun, the necessities specified that the movies should criticize China and reward Japan.
Some postings even gave examples, similar to producing movies that fabricate tales of Chinese language individuals inflicting hassle, missing ethical requirements, and finally struggling the implications.
Along with smearing China, the postings additionally required the manufacturing of movies praising Japanese tradition and showcasing the superior applied sciences of Japanese firms.
After the stories drew consideration, the recruitment platform eliminated the postings from public view on Dec. 3, altering their standing to nonpublic. Cloud Works mentioned the venture seemingly violated prohibitions in its laws and was taken down.
Whereas Cloud Works has not disclosed what number of postings had been eliminated, The Asahi Shimbun reported that from November 2024 to November 2025, at the least 14 job listings had been posted. All concerned in producing movies selling anti-China positions, whereas a complete of 31 individuals had entered into work contracts.
Such job postings have drawn sturdy criticism from Japanese netizens.
One commenter mentioned permitting cash to distort — and even manufacture — public opinion would inevitably result in the collapse of democratic nations, calling for a radical investigation and accountability for these accountable.
(Screenshot of a remark by Japanese netizens beneath Japanese media stories)
Some commenters mentioned slogans similar to “Japan will turn into sturdy” and “China will quickly collapse” are inventory narratives in such movies, including that they quantity to nothing greater than delusions.
Some Japanese residents mentioned the episode symbolized Japan’s decline. “In a way, it is a type of opinion steerage and impression manipulation. When it spreads hatred, it can have a detrimental impression on Japan,” one commenter mentioned.
Others questioned the funding behind the movies. “The supply of funding for this type of content material is extremely suspicious. If tax cash is getting used for secret expenditures or social gathering subsidies, that might be completely unforgivable,” one other mentioned.
(By Gong Weiwei)
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