Media Outlets Exaggerated Japanese Defense Minister's Statements About Attack On Hawaii

In late June, a number of news websites including Yahoo!, ran stories with headlines stating that a Japanese official had warned the U.S. that Russia and China were preparing to launch a surprise attack upon the state of Hawaii. Other sources ran even more alarming headlines, stating that World War III could be about to start due to the Japanese official’s warning. 

On social media, these alarming headlines have gained significant attention, with posts gaining hundreds of interactions.