Rumors going viral as coronavirus spreads
An uninfected person named as being infected with the new coronavirus.
A nationwide shortage of toilet paper and other goods.
Rumors and false information related to the new coronavirus are going viral on Twitter and other social media.
Experts are warning people not to imprudently spread information.
"I have no choice but to limit my activities. People spread rumors irresponsibly and it has caused me serious trouble," said Koichi Kakisawa, a 47-year-old president of a screw manufacturer in Shizuoka City.
At the end of February, a man in his 60s living in the city tested positive after returning home from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where hundreds of coronavirus infections occurred. Soon after the case was announced, tweets continued to be posted saying that the infected man was Kakisawa. His company also received several phone calls with people saying, "Your president is spreading the virus."
Another rumor that recently went viral is that granite is "effective against the coronavirus." Some granite rocks have since been sold online for several thousand yen.
"Granite is an ordinary rock found everywhere," said Ehime University Prof. Hiroaki Ofuji, an expert on mineralogy. "It's not effective against viruses and this rumor has no scientific basis."
Make sure of sources
A nationwide shortage of toilet paper was triggered by a rumor that began to spread in late February, saying, "We'll suffer from a shortage of toilet paper because it's made in China." In reality, however, 98% of toilet paper sold in Japan is domestically produced, according to the Japan Paper Association.
On March 3, a health cooperative association in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, apologized that an employee of the association posted the false information online.
The ease of sharing and spreading information thanks to the wide use of smartphones and social media are thought to be fueling the spread of rumors.
Chuo University Prof. Misa Matsuda, an expert on socio-information studies and author of books on rumors, said: "Social anxiety over the virus is getting high, making it difficult for people to judge if information is really true. Even when you think the information is 'correct,' you should refrain from spreading it imprudently."
The Yomiuri Shimbun
The apology issued online on March 3 by a health cooperative association in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, for its employee having posted rumors about a shortage of toilet paper related to the new coronavirus, is seen on a computer.
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