Claims that the recent magnitude 7.1 earthquake which struck Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern Japan on July 28, 2026, was artificially induced have been circulating widely on social media. A user who has previously spread false earthquake-related information posted that the “seismic wave is of an explosion, not a quake,” a message that has garnered around 3 million views as of early August.
Analysis by US firm Meltwater showed hundreds of posts mentioning “artificial earthquake” in Japanese in the days leading up to the quake, surging to about 10,000 on the day of the event and around 38,000 the following day. While many users reject these claims, daily posts asserting a man-made origin continue with tens of thousands of mentions.
Experts have dismissed the conspiracy theory as unrealistic due to technological impossibility, high costs, and practical challenges. In response to the misinformation, the Seismological Society of Japan established a dedicated FAQ section on its website in March 2026 to address such concerns.
The Kumamoto earthquake occurred at a depth of 16 kilometers (nine miles).
Sources:
- South China Morning Post World, Kyodo, August 6, 2026
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