Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addressed a question regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows during an official government conference today. While some outlets reported that Prime Minister Ishiba criticized Ubisoft and its Feudal Japan-set game over concerns about shrine depictions, the actual situation is less contentious.

IGN obtained the full exchange through our colleagues at IGN Japan to ensure not only an accurate translation but also proper context behind the discussion. IGN has also contacted Ubisoft for comment.

For context, Ubisoft has issued several apologies leading up to the repeatedly delayed launch of Shadows regarding aspects of the game and its promotional materials that upset some people in Japan.

Some voiced frustration over inaccuracies in the game's portrayal of Feudal Japan, prompting the development team to apologize and clarify that the game is not intended as a factual historical account but as "compelling historical fiction."

Ubisoft also highlighted its collaboration with external consultants and historians. However, "despite these ongoing efforts, we acknowledge that certain elements in our promotional content have caused concern within the Japanese community," Ubisoft stated. "We sincerely apologize for this."

Another issue arose when the developer used a flag from a Japanese historical reenactment group in Assassin's Creed Shadows artwork without authorization. Ubisoft publicly apologized for this oversight.

Additionally, collectible figure manufacturer PureArts withdrew an Assassin’s Creed Shadows statue from sale due to its inclusion of a one-legged Torii gate, which some considered offensive. Torii gates are commonly found at shrines across Japan, marking the boundary between the secular and the sacred. The one-legged Torii gate, however, holds its own particular significance—one famous example stands at the Sannō Shrine in Nagasaki, located about 900 meters from the hypocenter of the World War II atomic bomb that killed over 60,000 people.

In light of these events, Ubisoft is launching Assassin’s Creed Shadows amid some controversy both in Japan and among certain Western fans concerned with the game's representation of the country.

The question about Assassin’s Creed Shadows was raised by Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada, a member of the House of Councillors. Kada, who is campaigning for re-election this summer, remarked:

"I worry that permitting players to attack and damage real-world locations in the game without consent could inspire similar actions in reality. Shrine officials and residents share these concerns. While freedom of expression must be respected, actions that disparage local cultures should be avoided."

Prime Minister Ishiba responded:

"Addressing this legally requires consultation with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology; and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Defacing a shrine is unacceptable—it dishonors the nation itself. When the Self-Defense Forces were sent to Samawah, Iraq, they were required to study Islamic customs beforehand. Respecting a country’s culture and religion is essential, and we must clearly state that we will not tolerate behavior that disregards them."

These are precise translations of the exchange, but what is the wider context? Our colleagues at IGN Japan provided further insight.

It is important to note that Japan has experienced record numbers of international tourists since reopening after the pandemic, partly due to the appeal of the weak yen. During this budget meeting, Hiroyuki Kada connected his criticisms of Shadows with the contentious topic of what he termed “over-tourism,” pointing to a perceived increase in vandalism and graffiti across Japan.

He argued that if players are allowed to deface temples or attack individuals with katanas in the game, they might be motivated to do the same during their visits—echoing longstanding debates on whether games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto encourage real-world violence.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba replied that he would oppose such actions if they occurred in real life, but the emphasis here is on the hypothetical nature of his response. His remarks were directed at potential real-life imitations, not the game itself.

The shrine depicted as being defaced in Shadows gameplay videos is the Itatehyozu Shrine in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, which lies within Kada’s electoral district. He stated that he consulted shrine representatives, who confirmed Ubisoft did not seek permission to feature the shrine or use its name.

While Masaki Ogushi, Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, noted that government bodies would collaborate if the shrine sought consultation, that remains a significant "if." Moreover, under Japanese constitutional protections for artistic expression, Ubisoft would likely be legally permitted to use the shrine regardless.

Both ministers’ responses were intentionally vague and are unlikely to produce specific actions, especially since Ubisoft appears to have preemptively addressed these concerns with a day-one patch—suggesting the company is more attentive to Japanese sentiments than Kada acknowledged.

The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline

25 Images

News of this day-one patch surfaced in Japan this morning but has not yet been confirmed by Ubisoft’s Western offices. According to Automaton, Ubisoft has outlined changes that will take effect when Assassin’s Creed: Shadows launches on March 20.

The site reports that the update will make tables and shelves inside shrines indestructible and will minimize non-essential depictions of bloodshed in temples and shrines. Attacks on unarmed NPCs will no longer show blood. IGN has contacted Ubisoft regarding this day-one patch and whether it applies only in Japan.

Regardless of the game’s performance in Japan, Assassin's Creed Shadows is under considerable pressure to succeed globally for Ubisoft after multiple delays and the commercial disappointment of last year’s Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has indeed faced a series of high-profile failures, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to Shadows' release.

IGN’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows review scored an 8/10. We wrote: “By refining its established mechanics, Assassin’s Creed Shadows delivers one of the strongest iterations of the open-world formula it has been perfecting over the past decade.”