Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the new game of the Assassin’s Creed series, caused great controversy in Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reacted to the game’s unauthorised use of historical and religious sites and announced that they will take the issue to the legal dimension.

Japanese Prime Minister heavily criticised Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Prime Minister Ishiba stated at a government meeting that some religious and historical buildings in the game were used without authorisation. Drawing attention especially to the depiction of Itatehyouzu Shrine as a place that can be attacked in the game, Ishiba said that this was ‘an insult to the nation’.

The Japanese government emphasises that permission must be obtained for the use of historical and cultural sites for commercial purposes. The Deputy Economy Minister stated that Ubisoft had not made any official request in this regard. Prime Minister Ishiba stated that it is unacceptable that temples and other sacred places are open to attack in the game and announced that the relevant ministries will evaluate the issue from a legal perspective.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was also criticised by Japanese players during the promotion process. Historical and cultural errors were detected in the previously released videos, and Ubisoft apologised after these criticisms. However, with the release of the game, similar criticisms came to the agenda again.

Ubisoft management has not yet made an official statement on the subject. It is very curious how these developments will affect the sales of the game in Japan. So what do you think about this issue? You can share your opinions with us in the comments section below.