A publicity photo released by Japan's Ministry of Defense during the Japanese government's response to a deadly earthquake in southwestern Japan has triggered criticism online, with some Japanese netizens accusing Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi of using a natural disaster for self-promotion. Photo: Screenshot of X account for Japan's Ministry of Defense

A publicity photo released by Japan's Ministry of Defense during the Japanese government's response to a deadly earthquake in southwestern Japan has triggered criticism online, with some Japanese netizens accusing Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi of using a natural disaster for self-promotion.

A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, with the Japanese government confirming at least 12 deaths as of press time, according to media reports. While Japanese authorities have been coordinating rescue and relief efforts, a photo shared by the Japanese Defense Ministry showing Koizumi holding a temporary consultation meeting before a press conference drew controversy on social media.

The image was posted on X by Japanese Defense Ministry's press secretary account @PressSec_JMOD on Tuesday evening.  Ministry spokesman Kimihito Aguin said the photo was intended to show that "we held a pre-press conference discussion in order to deliver the latest information to the public as quickly as possible."

However, the photo quickly sparked anger among Japanese internet users, as some questioned whether the image was a carefully staged publicity shot rather than a record of emergency response work.

In the picture, Koizumi stands at the center of a semicircle formed by ministry officials, wearing a blue suit that makes him stand out among colleagues dressed mostly in black. The image was also taken from a low-angle perspective, leading some online commenters to argue that the composition appeared designed to portray the minister as more prominent and authoritative.

"Even in a time like this disaster, they're more concerned about taking those 'picture-perfect' photos of how they come across. This is exactly why I can't trust this administration," a Japanese user @C0Ltn7 said following the post. This comment earned about 166 likes. 

"I mean, seriously… did they watch too many TV dramas and movies? There is absolutely no need for a photo like this. It's nothing but a staged little performance designed to make it look like they are 'doing their jobs.' If they have time to put on this kind of show, they should go to the disaster-hit areas and actually help. This is no time for holding some pre-meeting photo-op," another Japanese internet user @ykomotyan said. 

Some netizens also questioned the timing of the release, arguing that public resources and government communications during a disaster should prioritize providing accurate information about rescue efforts, evacuation measures and support for affected residents.

Meanwhile, Cabinet public relations' office also released a photo on social media on Tuesday showing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi holding discussions with other officials over the earthquake response. The image likewise drew skepticism from some Japanese internet users, who questioned whether it was merely a staged publicity shot.

"Did they mistake the disaster response headquarters meeting for some kind of festival or publicity event?" a Japanese internet user @zackys said in a post. 

The grave disaster came at a time when the cabinet's approval ratings were plunging, so the Takaichi administration may have seen the disaster as a perfect 'opportunity' to boost its popularity, the netizen said, noting that but with people having lost their lives, it is inappropriate to turn the response into something resembling a celebration.

The entire content of the meeting was nothing but self-promotion, the netizen added. 

Some Chinese netizens also commented on social media that the photo looked like a staged photo op.

"It does look a bit like a staged photo op," a Chinese netizen called Danjuan Dawang said on Chinese X-like platform Weibo. "They should pay more attention to disaster relief."