Video shows light rail system in China’s Chongqing, not Japanese train tracks

A video compilation of prepare tracks switching has been shared greater than a thousand occasions alongside the false declare it confirmed rail know-how in Japan. However the clips confirmed rail infrastructure in southwestern China’s Chongqing.

The 22-second clip of trains working via numerous city areas because the tracks are switched routinely was shared here on X on December 4, 2024.

“Japanese City Railways,” the put up learn.

The identical compilation was shared elsewhere on X, in addition to on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

However reverse picture searches on Google led to an X post on June 29, 2024 that shared the identical video, which said it confirmed prepare tracks in Chongqing, in southwest China’s Sichuan province (archived link).

Subsequent key phrase searches on TikTok sister app Douyin discovered an identical video of the prepare tracks switching posted by an account run by Chinese language state media BRTV, titled “the superb Chongqing mild rail” (archived link).

AFP was in a position to geolocate the clip on the video’s nine-second mark to Chongqing, primarily based on an indication that learn “Fuqiang resort”, seen within the background of the footage.

Additional key phrase searches discovered the tracks are positioned close to the Tangrui Fuqiang Hotel in Chongqing’s Jiulongpo district (archived link).

The outside of the resort, together with an orange-coloured constructing, may be seen on a photograph posted to journey website Trip (archived link).

Beneath is a screenshot comparability of the video within the false posts (left) and the picture of the resort on Journey (proper), with corresponding parts marked by AFP:

AFP additionally geolocated a constructing with a wavy roof seen on the clip’s 19-second mark to the Bijin station, close to Chongqing’s Jiangbei International Airport (archived link).

The format of the prepare tracks seen within the footage correspond to these close to the airport, which may be seen on Google Earth (archived link).

Beneath is a screenshot comparability of the video within the false put up (left), the prepare tracks seen on Google Earth (centre), and the airport constructing seen on Baidu Maps’ avenue view (proper), with corresponding parts marked by AFP:

Different clips within the video confirmed options akin to paintwork and promoting that correspond to these utilized in Chongqing, which may be seen on travel sites, industry reports and videos concerning the metropolis’s mild rail community (archived hyperlinks here, here and here).