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: Shadow, 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.