During an official government conference, Shigeru Ishiba, the Prime Minister of Japan, addressed concerns about Ubisoft's upcoming game, Assassin's Creed Shadows, set in Feudal Japan. While initial reports suggested a strong rebuke from Ishiba, the situation is nuanced and less confrontational than portrayed.

IGN, in collaboration with IGN Japan, provided an accurate translation and context for the exchange. Ubisoft has previously apologized for several issues related to the game and its marketing, which stirred controversy in Japan. These issues included inaccuracies in the depiction of Feudal Japan, unauthorized use of a historical re-enactment group's flag in promotional materials, and the controversial depiction of a one-legged Torii gate in a collectible statue, which was subsequently withdrawn from sale.

The question about Assassin's Creed Shadows was posed by Hiroyuki Kada, a Japanese politician from the House of Councillors. Kada expressed concerns about the potential real-world implications of the game, particularly the possibility that players might be inspired to vandalize real-world locations like shrines after engaging in similar actions in the game.

In response, Prime Minister Ishiba emphasized the need for legal discussions with relevant ministries to address such issues. He stressed that defacing shrines is unacceptable and likened the importance of respecting cultural and religious sites to the training provided to Japanese Self-Defense Forces before their deployment to Iraq. Ishiba's comments were more focused on the hypothetical real-world consequences rather than directly criticizing the game itself.

The context provided by IGN Japan highlighted that Kada's concerns were linked to broader issues of "over tourism" and perceived increases in vandalism in Japan, exacerbated by the record number of tourists following the country's border reopening and the weak yen. Kada specifically mentioned the Itatehyozu Shrine in Himeji, within his constituency, which he claimed was used in the game without permission.

While Masaki Ogushi, Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, mentioned that government agencies would handle matters if the shrine sought consultation, the responses from both ministers were vague and unlikely to lead to immediate action. Ubisoft, on the other hand, has taken proactive steps to address these concerns, planning a day-one patch to modify in-game elements like making shrine objects indestructible and reducing depictions of violence in sacred spaces.

This patch, reported by Automaton but not yet confirmed by Ubisoft's western operations, aims to mitigate the concerns raised by Japanese audiences. Amidst these developments, Assassin's Creed Shadows faces significant pressure to succeed globally following Ubisoft's recent challenges, including delays and the commercial failure of Star Wars Outlaws.

IGN's review of Assassin's Creed Shadows awarded it an 8/10, praising the game for refining the open-world experience Ubisoft has been developing over the past decade.

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