An image published on Instagram on January 29, 2023 reads: "Japan Launches Official Investigation Into Millions of Vaxx Deaths".
The post's caption says "Japan has launched an official investigation into the unprecedented numbers of people dying after receiving the Covid-19 vaccination" and contains the web address of an article on Reignite Democracy Australia's website, which largely repeats the claim.
The group has advocated against Covid-19 restrictions and mandatory vaccinations.
The claim was also shared in Facebook posts here and here with screengrabs of an article from News Punch that also largely repeats the claim. The website has published false claims previously debunked by AFP.
However, the claim is false. A search of the Japanese health ministry's latest press releases did not reveal any announcement about an official investigation into the "millions" of Covid-19 vaccine-related deaths as claimed in the misleading posts.
As of February 15, 2023, there were 71,136 deaths from Covid-19 in Japan.
Japan's health ministry has a subcommittee that discusses Covid-19 vaccination, including suspected adverse effects.
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