Debate about immigration isn’t inherently a problem. Open, informed discussion is how democracies test their values, balance economic needs and manage social cohesion. But when that debate becomes a proxy for malign motivations and is distorted by misinformation, it stops being constructive. Facts give way to fear, and legitimate questions about policy turn into divisions about identity.

The exploitation of anti-immigration rallies by some in Australia and backlash against an international development program in Japan have exemplified the similar multiplying risks both countries face, risks that leave societies polarised and trust eroded. Both cases have shown that when economic and social stresses meet misinformation, minorities become the targets. Governments and civil society need to cooperate to counter falsehoods and guard multicultural cohesion.

At the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in August, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) designated four Japanese cities as ‘hometowns’ for four African countries as part of its talent exchange efforts. Ghana was paired with Sanjo, Niigata prefecture; Mozambique with Imabari, Ehime prefecture; Nigeria with Kisarazu, Chiba prefecture; and Tanzania with Nagai, Yamagata prefecture.

The program aimed to promote exchanges and foster individuals to serve as bridges between Japan and Africa. However, the announcement was misinterpreted. Nigeria claimed it meant Japan would create a special visa for its youth talent, while Tanzanian media reported that Japan had dedicated Nagai to the country. These errors were further spread by influencers on social media, sparking speculation that a high volume of immigrants would enter Japan.

The designated Japanese municipalities were inundated with calls, and social media was flooded with comments slandering Japan and Africa. JICA withdrew the project altogether on 25 September.

But the damage had already been done. A demonstration against African immigration was held on 26 September in front of Kisarazu’s city office. Misinformation continues to spread, along with conspiracy theories blaming immigration for unrelated grievances and stoking anti-foreigner sentiment.

Issues around the African hometown program are far from isolated. In Japan, immigration has become a more politically charged issue. One reason is an increase in crime involving foreigners over the past few years. According to 2024 statistics from Japan’s National Police Agency, the clearance rate for accomplice cases involving foreign visitors to Japan is about 3.3 times (41.1 percent) higher than those where the defendant is Japanese (12.5 percent). Of that percentage, shoplifting committed by foreign visitors accounted for 22.6 percent, which is approximately 6.7 times higher than that committed by Japanese citizens (3.4 percent).

Although claims of special visas for African countries were false, they resonated in a society already feeling uneasy about immigration. For example, tensions have also risen in Kawaguchi, Saitama prefecture, between Japanese citizens and the city’s Kurdish population, who have lived there since fleeing persecution in the 1990s. Some locals have blamed the Kurdish community for late night noise, reckless driving and public disturbances.

This public discontent was also evident in July’s upper-house election, when Sanseito, a conservative right-wing populist party that has promoted xenophobic narratives, gained a surge in seats. Unsurprisingly, the party disagreed with the hometown program, and its supporters were prominent at the Kisarazu anti-immigration rally.

Australia is not immune. Recently, an AAP FactCheck investigation revealed a wave of AI-generated avatar videos spreading online and pushing claims of a ‘migrant invasion’ and election rigging, sometimes with violent overtones. AAP FactCheck analysed content from two main accounts: LoveMyAu primarily features young, professional-looking female AI avatars across TikTok, X and Facebook; while SaltyHypsi showcases young Anglo-Australian men, often dressed in military gear on TikTok. Many of the LoveMyAu videos have promoted anti-immigration marches, as recently as late October.

Economic stress shapes attitudes: rising prices, housing shortages and job insecurity fuel negative attitudes toward immigrants. Daniel Ghezelbash, director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, argues that immigrants and refugees are unfairly blamed for these issues due for prejudicial and political reasons, despite their significant contributions to Australia.

Australia and Japan have different perceptions and histories regarding immigrants and foreigners, but the promotion of anti-immigration views through misinformation and disinformation is increasingly common to both. When social concerns lead to misunderstandings, exaggerations or even the deliberate spread of falsehoods, social cohesion is undermined.

Immigration is a legitimate and necessary issue for countries to debate. But when fed by misinformation, it can fuel hatred against innocent people, fracture societies and contribute to the normalisation of violence as a response. Clear and accurate communication is therefore vital. Policymakers and media alike need to consider how misinformation shapes public sentiment and take steps to counter it early. This means investing in pre-bunking—proactively countering common falsehoods and providing factual context in advance.

Engagement with communities and trusted institutions can help identify emerging narratives early, resolve confusion and address legitimate concerns transparently. By tackling the economic and social pressures that make societies more vulnerable to manipulation, democracies can strengthen their resilience against division and xenophobia.