FACT CHECK: Japan has not sent tanks to North Korea

The claim: Japan has started sending tanks into North Korean territory, starting a war between the two countries.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The video was posted by a channel with 295,000 subscribers and has had 5,993 views as of writing. 

The facts: The video, posted on YouTube, shows military tanks being driven down a city road. Text shown in the video says: “MGA TANKE DE GYERA NG JAPAN UMARANGKADA NA” (The Japanese war tanks are marching forward). More text flashed claims that Japan has started sending tanks into North Korean territory supposedly in retaliation for North Korean missiles allegedly being fired at Japan.

Using a reverse image search shows that the clips being played in the video were taken from the Japanese YouTube channel 雅.  Translated to English, the original video is titled “Ground Self-Defense Force Western Army 61st Anniversary Commemorative Event Parade.” The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, also referred to as the Japanese Army, is a branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. 

As of writing, no major news outlets have released reports on Japanese forces entering North Korea, which would have been big news. Furthermore, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force has made no mention of sending tanks or other military vehicles into North Korean territory on its official Facebook page or Twitter profile.

The false claim misrepresented the video from a commemorative event parade of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. – Katarina Ruflo/Rappler.com

Katarina Ruflo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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