Shogakukan Human Rights Violations Uncovered by Independent Panel
In a significant development for the manga industry, publishing giant Shogakukan recently unveiled the findings of a third-party investigation into its Manga ONE editorial department and its involvement with manga creator Shōichi Yamamoto. The independent panel's report painted a concerning picture, concluding that Shogakukan "encouraged and supported" the violation of a victim's human rights.
Disturbing Findings from the Investigation
The external committee received reports of 44 incidents of suspected sexual misconduct and other inappropriate behavior during its investigation. These incidents spanned from senior executives to editors abusing their positions of power over creatives. While some cases saw appropriate company responses, many were deemed insufficient. The report highlighted a troubling trend where editorial decisions were prioritized even when human rights violations were suspected, and coordination between various company departments failed.
The panel specifically criticized Shogakukan's lack of sufficient systems to acknowledge victims' perspectives, prevent its own enablement of human rights violations, recognize power imbalances with creators, and manage significant risks effectively. In response to these grave findings, Shogakukan's executive staff, including the CEO, managing directors, board members, and auditors, will face salary cuts for three months, with the president's salary reduced by 50%.
Shogakukan's Sweeping Measures for Change
Following the damning report, Shogakukan announced a comprehensive list of measures designed to address the panel's proposals and prevent future misconduct. These preventative changes include:
Formation of the Shogakukan Human Rights Policy and Human Rights Commission
Shogakukan has drafted a new Human Rights Policy, asserting its commitment to respect and protect fundamental human rights across all company activities. An independent Human Rights Committee, chaired by senior managing director Kumiko Hanazuka and involving external experts, will be established to prevent, mitigate, and rectify human rights violations.
Expansion of Human Rights Training and Corporate Culture Reform
Regular training sessions will be implemented to reinforce respect for human rights, prevent sexual violence and harassment, provide victim support, and detail whistleblowing procedures. Managers will undergo separate training on proper supervision and external party contact. Importantly, human rights seminars will also be offered to writers, authors, and freelancers associated with the company.
Revised System and Process for Working with External Creators
The company will review its human rights policy for external creators, incorporating human rights clauses into all contracts. A clear authority structure involving editorial, legal, and administrative departments will be created for reporting and decision-making regarding violations or concerns raised by external creators, determining the continuation of business relationships.
Strengthen Supervisory Bodies and Systems
The Board of Directors will now regularly receive reports on human rights violations and implement management-level oversight. Any detected violations will prompt investigations into similar incidents across other divisions. Decisions concerning human rights violations will be reviewed by multiple bodies—the Risk Management Office, Human Rights Committee, and Legal Department—before management verification. Special response committees will also be formed for severe violations.
Establish and Reform Internal Whistleblowing, Reporting, Investigating Systems
Shogakukan will establish a new "grievance system" aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This system will integrate external human rights experts, especially for serious violations, and allow all victims—regardless of direct contractual relationship—to file complaints. The existing reporting system will be revamped to include anonymous reporting options and robust protection measures for whistleblowers. Sexual assault cases will benefit from a specialized response system, including psychological counseling for victims.
Shogakukan has pledged to continuously review and enhance the effectiveness of these preventative measures.
The Shōichi Yamamoto and Tatsuya Matsuki Scandals
The third-party investigation was prompted partly by the scandal involving manga creator Shōichi Yamamoto. Yamamoto was found liable in a civil case for repeatedly sexually abusing and raping a high school student, and was previously convicted in a criminal case for violating the Child Prostitution and Pornography Prohibition Act. Alarmingly, Shogakukan's Manga ONE continued to serialize his work under the pseudonym "Hajime Ichiro" even after the criminal conviction. Furthermore, a manga editor from Shogakukan participated in civil settlement negotiations, reportedly advising non-disclosure for the victim and proposing a low settlement amount. This revelation led to widespread criticism from creators and the postponement of the 71st Shogakukan Manga Awards.
The company also faced scrutiny over the re-hiring of act-age writer Tatsuya Matsuki, who was arrested for a coerced indecent act on a middle school student in 2020. Shogakukan had re-hired Matsuki to write the manga Seisō no Shinri-shi under the pen name Miki Yatsunami. While Shogakukan stated this was intended to protect victims, it later admitted the Manga ONE editorial staff should have given more consideration to whether this decision truly served the victims' best interests.
These incidents highlight systemic failures that Shogakukan is now committed to rectifying, aiming for a more ethical and responsible future in the manga industry.
