Japanese government addresses Assassin’s Creed Shadows controversy as ban rumors spread

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During a recent meeting at Japan’s legislative body (the Diet), the Japanese Prime Minister discussed issues related to “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” causing speculation about potential restrictions or bans for this video game.

On March 19th, during a budget committee meeting in the House of Councillors, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba fielded questions about Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. The discussion centered around the game’s portrayal of acts of vandalism, with a specific focus on instances where religious sites were targeted.

A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Kata Hiroyuki, raised concerns about a video featuring Yasuke, a character in a game, being used to vandalize a real shrine and attack priests. In an interview with ITmedia, Ishiba addressed these concerns, stating:

[Machine-translated response from ITmedia]
“Regarding the matter that has been reported, I have not seen the video myself, so I cannot make any specific comments. However, it is a fact that such behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable.”

Kata Hiroyuki, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, brought up an issue concerning a video depicting Yasuke damaging a real shrine and attacking priests. In response to this report from ITmedia, Ishiba stated that although he has not personally viewed the video, such behavior is clearly unacceptable and inappropriate.

He proposed having a conversation with the Ministries of Economy, Trade and Industry, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and Foreign Affairs about the appropriate legal actions to take, and added that vandalizing a shrine is completely inappropriate and disrespectful to the nation.

As a gamer, I believe in showing reverence for other countries’ cultures and religions. It’s crucial that our actions reflect this understanding, and make it clear we won’t accept any behavior disrespectful to these cultural or religious norms.

Japanese PM on AC Shadows controversy

According to Jeffrey J. Hall, a lecturer from Kanada, Ishiba’s comments may not signal any genuine actions from the Japanese government. Instead, Hall points out that Ishiba’s reaction might be easily twisted and utilized to disseminate false information regarding an alleged ban.

The professor warns about misleading headlines and tweets suggesting that the Japanese Prime Minister rejected or found offensive Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In fact, it appears from his statements that Ishiba was commenting on actual acts of vandalism against sacred sites.

Currently, it’s planned that Assassin’s Creed: Shadows will come out in Japan on March 20, 2025. Rest assured, it won’t get banned, but you might notice a few adjustments between the Japanese and international versions of this game when they hit the shelves.

Rise and listen, Ubisoft guardian! Which type of Assassin’s Creed game would desecrate a real-life place of worship? The Japanese culture is imitated yet not honored. Here’s an illustration of this issue.

Hey there, Ubisoft protector! What kind of Assassin’s Creed game disrespects a genuine religious site? Japanese culture is often copied, but seldom respected. Let me show you how it plays out.

— Shohei Kondo (@shoheikondo) January 31, 2025

On January 24th, Ubisoft Japan’s tweet detailed that they have eliminated all depictions of dismemberment in the game’s Japanese version.

In contrast to the CERO Z (18+ rating) it received from the Japanese video game rating body, this censorship was carried out regardless, as the overseas versions of the game include graphic depictions of dismemberment and gore, which are adjustable via in-game settings.

Moreover, the Japanese edition alters some voice dialogue. However, it’s unclear exactly what adjustments have been made or how they affect the gameplay. Nonetheless, Assassin’s Creed: Shadow will still be launched in Japan.

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2025-03-19 16:24