The release of the latest video game in the blockbuster Assassin’s Creed series has ignited controversy in Japan, prompting Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to assert that the country “will not tolerate any acts” of cultural disrespect following backlash over its portrayal of a real-life Shinto shrine.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, the latest instalment in the hugely successful historical action game franchise by French developer Ubisoft, was launched on Thursday. Early previews of the game, set during the Sengoku, or Warring State period of 15th and 16th century Japan, have drawn criticism over allegations of historical inaccuracy and cultural insensitivity.
“It is natural to have respect for the culture and religion of a country, and it is important to send out the message that we will not tolerate any acts that do not respect the culture and religion of a country,” Ishiba told the upper house of the parliament on Wednesday.
Ishiba was responding to a question from lawmaker Hiroyuki Kada of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who represents Hyogo prefecture, about the government’s stance on the game’s unauthorised use of a shrine’s name.
The controversy erupted after a promotional video showed players in the game destroying the interior of Itatehyozu Shrine, an actual shrine located in Himeji city.
“In the worship hall of the shrine, which appears in the game under its real name, the protagonist, a samurai, smashes drums, sacred mirrors, and altar,” he said.
“He slashes at people who appear to be priests, shoots arrows, and engages in other violent acts,” Kada said, adding that he expressed concern about potential copycat crimes in real life.
The prime minister said he would consult ministers to address public concerns.
“Graffiti on shrines is out of the question. It is nothing but an insult to the country,” Ishiba said.
Lawmaker Kada also said the shrine’s chief priest informed him that the company did not obtain permission to use its name.
Ogushi Masaki, the deputy economy minister, emphasised that permission must be obtained from the intellectual property holder before using the name for commercial purposes.
“If the shrine consults us, we will work with the relevant ministries and agencies to respond appropriately,” he said.
The game also featured Yasuke, a historical figure celebrated in pop culture as the first samurai of African descent.
However, little historical documentation survives regarding Yasuke’s life, including whether he was considered a samurai.
He was believed to have arrived in Japan from Mozambique with Portuguese priests around 1580 and later served Oda Nobunaga, a feudal lord known for unifying Japan.
The decision to make Yasuke as the game’s hero has also drawn criticism, as many believed it was inappropriate to make a foreigner a protagonist in a game about Japanese history.
Video gaming news platform IGN reported on Thursday that the developer might release a day-one patch to address these concerns. The patch would include making the tables and shelves of the in-game shrines indestructible and minimising depictions of bloodshed taking place inside such premises.
The development team for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows also issued an apology in Japanese and English on social media, stating that the game was not meant to serve as a factual depiction of history, but rather as “a compelling, historical fiction.”
First launched in 2007, Assassin’s Creed and its sequels and spin-offs have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide.
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