By NOBUHIKO TAJIMA/ Staff Writer
January 7, 2026 at 17:57 JST
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara speaks at a news conference on Jan. 7. (Takeshi Iwashita)
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara has confirmed that footage from one of his news conferences was used to promote investment scams.
The offending video was discovered on Jan. 6 and is no longer viewable.
“My news conferences are meant to communicate official government announcements. Using footage from them to create fake videos that promote scams and spreading them can cause public confusion and misunderstanding, and such actions cannot be tolerated,” Kihara said at a Jan. 7 news conference.
Kihara said the video sought investments for a fictitious project. The government requested that the platform operator remove it, and the account has already been suspended.
“Any story where you are guaranteed to make money is a scam. If you feel even the slightest suspicion, do not hesitate to consult police or related authorities,” Kihara said.
The government has also issued a warning on the website of the prime minister's office and on X, formerly Twitter.
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