FACT CHECK: Viral Claim About Japanese Man Spending Ksh 2.9B to Become a Dog

A video circulating on social media claims to show a 26-year-old Japanese millionaire named Jaso who allegedly spent Rs 220 crore (Ksh 2.9 billion) on surgeries to acquire a dog-like appearance and behavior.

Posts sharing the footage claim he underwent multiple procedures to transform himself into a human-dog hybrid.

However, the claim appears to be a distorted version of the genuine story of Toco, a Japanese man who commissioned a highly realistic Collie costume from Zeppet.

Toco spent about 2 million Japanese yen on the costume, but he did not undergo surgery or permanent body modifications to become a dog.

According to viral posts, the Japanese man, identified as “Jaso,” spent around Rs 220 crore on surgeries to look and behave like a dog.

Meanwhile, some versions of the story suggest that the transformation involved a highly realistic dog costume costing approximately 2 million Japanese yen, or about Rs 11-12 lakh.

That detail relates to Toco, whose documented story involves wearing a custom-made Collie costume rather than undergoing a surgical transformation.

The two accounts have therefore been presented together online, creating confusion about the identity of the person shown in the viral footage.

Evidence Shows Japanese Man-Dog Jaso Video Is AI-Generated

To establish what the viral footage actually shows, BOOM examined the video after receiving it through its WhatsApp tip line. During its analysis, the fact-checking organization identified several visual inconsistencies.

For example, the ear of the dog-like figure disappears in a later frame, while a distorted, unidentified hand-like object moves unusually. BOOM subsequently analyzed the footage using IsFake.ai and TruthScan, both of which flagged the video as AI-manipulated.

Based on these findings, BOOM concluded that the video is AI-generated and established that the footage has no connection to Toco.

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Toco’s Real Story

While the viral footage does not show Toco, his real story is well documented. Toco attracted international attention after commissioning Zeppet, a Japanese modeling and sculpting company, to create a highly realistic Collie costume.

The costume allowed Toco to pursue a childhood dream of experiencing life as an animal without permanently altering his body. EFE reported in August 2023 that Toco had spent more than $13,000 to fulfill his dream of becoming a Collie with a hyperrealistic costume.

Speaking to EFE while wearing the long-haired Collie costume, Toco explained his motivation:

“Since I was a kid, I have wanted a makeover. When I am wearing my suit, I feel happy because my dream turns into reality,” he said

Toco also described the reaction he receives from people who follow his story:

“I receive all kind of messages. Among the positive messages, some tell me they want to do the same thing, which has made me realise that there are other people like me,” he added.

EFE’s interview confirms that Toco’s dog-like appearance came from the costume he was wearing during the interview.

Toco Used a Costume, Not Surgery

Toco’s documented transformation involved a custom-made costume rather than medical procedures.

According to The Tribune, Toco commissioned Zeppet to create the hyper-realistic Collie costume and “did not undergo any surgeries or permanent body modifications.” Instead, he wears the costume as part of his personal hobby and to fulfill his childhood dream of experiencing life as an animal.

The documented cost also differs substantially from the amount in the viral claim. Tribune reports that the costume cost approximately 2 million Japanese yen, equivalent to about Rs 11-12 lakh.

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Jaso Rs 220 Crore Claim

The Rs 220 crore figure does not match the documented expenditure associated with Toco.

Tribune reports that the genuine costume cost approximately 2 million Japanese yen, while the viral post claims that the person identified as Jaso spent around Rs 220 crore on surgeries.

The two amounts relate to entirely different claims: the documented expenditure concerns the creation of a realistic dog costume, while the viral post attributes the much larger amount to alleged surgical procedures.

However, Tribune’s report does not provide evidence that Toco spent Rs 220 crore on surgery. Instead, it describes the viral story as a distorted version of Toco’s genuine costume story.

How Toco’s Story Became Linked to the Viral Claim

The confusion becomes clearer when the two accounts are compared, as the viral posts identify the alleged person as Jaso, while Toco is a separate Japanese man whose story involves a custom-made Collie costume. Toco has also been documented by EFE and other media while wearing the costume.

BOOM’s investigation, meanwhile, found that the viral footage is AI-generated and has no connection to Toco.

The claim that Toco spent Rs 220 crore on plastic surgery to become a dog is false, as the viral posts identify the alleged person as Jaso, while Toco is the real Japanese man whose story involves a custom-made Collie costume costing approximately 2 million Japanese yen.

BOOM separately found that the viral video is AI-generated, citing visual inconsistencies and manipulation flags from IsFake.ai and TruthScan, and established that the footage has no connection to Toco.

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