The Japan Times66%
Why did a big earthquake strike the Tohoku region again? 58%
By Tomoko Otake0%
4/21/2026, 8:24:00 AM
Topics: Explainer
BS Summary: This article contains 7 faulty reasoning types, including Framing Effect, Pessimism Bias, and Appeal to Authority, with Post Hoc (False Cause) as the most egregious example at 36% saturation with 45 hits. Analysis detected 201 faulty-reasoning hits from 125 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 54.7% and a BS Rank of 58% (7,154 of 16,813 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 57.50% of the article peer group.
Experts are urging caution following Monday’s magnitude 7.7 earthquake off the Tohoku coast, saying the offshore epicenter sits atop two colliding tectonic plates that are under growing strain.
Monday’s quake triggered a special advisory for a subsequent, even stronger quake of magnitude 8 or greater in 182 predesignated municipalities in seven prefectures stretching from Hokkaido to Chiba.
The advisory will be in effect for a week, though it doesn’t mean the risk will be entirely gone after it is lifted.
It’s the second time the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued such an advisory, which was created in 2022.
It was first used in December following a magnitude 7.5 quake that struck the Sanriku coast.
Confirmation Bias
0%Confirmation Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
1.6%PublicationThe Japan Times
3.5%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Anchoring Bias
0%Anchoring Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
1.2%PublicationThe Japan Times
1.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Availability Heuristic
0%Availability Heuristic
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
3.8%PublicationThe Japan Times
4.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Representativeness Heuristic
0%Representativeness Heuristic
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
2%PublicationThe Japan Times
1.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Hindsight Bias
0%Hindsight Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Overconfidence Bias
0%Overconfidence Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
2.8%PublicationThe Japan Times
2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Framing Effect
23.2%Framing Effect
OverallThis article
23.2%AuthorTomoko Otake
5.7%PublicationThe Japan Times
14.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Loss Aversion
0%Loss Aversion
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.6%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Status Quo Bias
15.2%Status Quo Bias
OverallThis article
15.2%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.7%PublicationThe Japan Times
1.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Sunk Cost Effect
0%Sunk Cost Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Optimism Bias
0%Optimism Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
3.9%PublicationThe Japan Times
4.5%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Pessimism Bias
23.2%Pessimism Bias
OverallThis article
23.2%AuthorTomoko Otake
1.8%PublicationThe Japan Times
3.4%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Negativity Bias
18.4%Negativity Bias
OverallThis article
18.4%AuthorTomoko Otake
11.1%PublicationThe Japan Times
11.7%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Self-Serving Bias
0%Self-Serving Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
1.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.8%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Fundamental Attribution Error
0%Fundamental Attribution Error
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Actor-Observer Bias
0%Actor-Observer Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
In-Group Bias
0%In-Group Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Out-Group Homogeneity Bias
0%Out-Group Homogeneity Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.2%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.8%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Halo Effect
0%Halo Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.5%PublicationThe Japan Times
1.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Horn Effect
0%Horn Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Dunning-Kruger Effect
0%Dunning-Kruger Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Recency Bias
0%Recency Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
1.5%PublicationThe Japan Times
2.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Primacy Effect
0%Primacy Effect
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.8%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Blind-Spot Bias
0%Blind-Spot Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Ad Hominem
0%Ad Hominem
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Straw Man
0%Straw Man
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.4%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Appeal to Authority
22.4%Appeal to Authority
OverallThis article
22.4%AuthorTomoko Otake
7.1%PublicationThe Japan Times
5.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
False Dilemma
0%False Dilemma
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.2%PublicationThe Japan Times
1.7%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Slippery Slope
0%Slippery Slope
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.7%PublicationThe Japan Times
1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Circular Reasoning
0%Circular Reasoning
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.1%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Hasty Generalization
0%Hasty Generalization
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
7.2%PublicationThe Japan Times
4.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Red Herring
0%Red Herring
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Bandwagon
0%Bandwagon
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.2%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Appeal to Emotion
0%Appeal to Emotion
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
2%PublicationThe Japan Times
3.4%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Begging the Question
0%Begging the Question
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
1.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.9%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Post Hoc (False Cause)
36%Post Hoc (False Cause)
OverallThis article
36%AuthorTomoko Otake
4.2%PublicationThe Japan Times
4.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Tu Quoque
0%Tu Quoque
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Burden of Proof
0%Burden of Proof
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.7%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.5%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Appeal to Nature
0%Appeal to Nature
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.4%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Composition/Division
0%Composition/Division
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Anecdotal
0%Anecdotal
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
2%PublicationThe Japan Times
1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
No True Scotsman
0%No True Scotsman
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Ambiguity (Equivocation)
22.4%Ambiguity (Equivocation)
OverallThis article
22.4%AuthorTomoko Otake
1.9%PublicationThe Japan Times
3.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Gambler’s Fallacy
0%Gambler’s Fallacy
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Middle Ground
0%Middle Ground
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.2%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Personal Incredulity
0%Personal Incredulity
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.1%PublicationThe Japan Times
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Special Pleading
0%Special Pleading
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.1%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Genetic Fallacy
0%Genetic Fallacy
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
0%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Unattributed Quote
0%Unattributed Quote
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
2.6%PublicationThe Japan Times
4.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Quote-first Misdirection
0%Quote-first Misdirection
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.9%PublicationThe Japan Times
1.8%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Biased Writer Voice
0%Biased Writer Voice
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
3.3%PublicationThe Japan Times
9.3%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Indoctrination
0%Indoctrination
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
2%PublicationThe Japan Times
1.5%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Politically Left Leaning Bias
0%Politically Left Leaning Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.6%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Politically Right Leaning Bias
0%Politically Right Leaning Bias
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.2%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
Attempt to Sell a Product or Service
0%Attempt to Sell a Product or Service
OverallThis article
0%AuthorTomoko Otake
0.7%PublicationThe Japan Times
0.5%Bar shows this article. Yellow and cyan markers show the selected author and publication averages.
125 words analyzed.
Analysis
Hover over highlighted words in the article to view the associated bias or fallacy analysis.