Japan's Prime Minister responds to Assassin's Creed Shadows' shrine destruction

Assassin's Creed Shadows is out today, but the way people have been discussing and assuming things about the content in the game, you might believe it had been out for months. Ever since Yasuke was first revealed, critics have pointed to the game as being disrespectful to Japanese culture.

Now, politicians in the Japanese Diet have brought up the game's content in front of the Prime Minister. Lib Dem member Hiroyuki Kata specifically raised the issue of the potential to destroy shrines and other sacred objects within them.

"In the game, the samurai protagonist smashes drums, sacred mirrors, and altars inside the worship hall of a shrine that appears under its real name. He slashes at people who appear to be priests, shoots arrows, and engages in other violent mayhem. When I asked the chief priest, he said that the game company had not contacted the shrine to ask for permission to use the name," said Kata, according to ITMedia (via Dexerto).

Ishiba Shigeru, the Japanese Prime Minister, responded by saying the following: "It is absolutely unacceptable to graffiti a shrine. It is nothing but an insult to the country. It is natural to have respect for the culture and religion of a country, and I think it is important to send out the message that we will not tolerate any behaviour that does not respect the culture and religion of a country and will not tolerate it."

Assassin's Creed has included religious content in the past that could be considered controversial or offensive, such as having the Pope be in possession of a magical device that controls minds, but that was in the before times, when people lost their hats much less easily. It is valid to fear wanton destruction of shrines, but as can often be the case with video games and politics, it feels like a game is being used as a scapegoat for poor behaviour.