Manga Publisher Shogakukan Says It Won’t Hire Sex Offenders Or Major Human Rights Violators Going Ahead

This is not The Onion. However, Shogakukan, one of Japan’s largest manga publishers, has found itself in such dire straits following the Jojin Kamen controversy, that the publisher has to assure readers and stakeholders that it will no longer hire creators who have committed sexual crimes or major human rights violations.

The company revealed that they have formalized a policy establishing strict criteria for its creators in response to recent scandals surrounding its Manga ONE distribution app.

Shogakukan stated that it won’t commission new projects or maintain existing business ties with any author or partner found to have committed severe human rights violations, including sexual assault or abuse, if their continued involvement is deemed ethically unacceptable.

To enforce these measures, Shogakukan outlined internal procedures which requires staff to immediately notify and consult with their superiors and administrative departments should any human rights concerns arise regarding a contracted individual.

The company is also restructuring its decision-making framework for contracts and commissions.

Moving forward, the judgment process surrounding a work and its creator will also involve the legal and administrative departments alongside the editorial teams.

Additionally, the publisher announced that clauses mandating the respect of human rights will be included in all future contracts with creators and partners. The publisher will also consistently explain these measures so as to gain the understanding and cooperation of all parties involved.

To address executive accountability, Shogakukan President Nobuhiro Oga will surrender 50% of his monthly compensation for three months. Other top executives, including senior managing directors, directors, and corporate auditors, will voluntarily return between 20% and 30% of their salaries for the same duration.

The publisher added that any employees involved in the controversy will face strict disciplinary measures in accordance with internal workplace regulations.

The organizational overhaul follows a scandal centered on the manga series Jojin Kamen, which had been serialized on the Manga ONE platform since 2022.

The series’ creator was issued a summary order for violating Japan’s Child Prostitution and Child Pornography Prohibition Act regarding the manufacturing of explicit material. Despite that, he still continued to publish works on the platform with the knowledge of the editorial team.

These measures come on the back on an independent third-party committee report published earlier this week, which heavily criticized Shogakukan’s handling of the situation.

At the time, Shogakukan had issued a renewed apology to the victim and pledged to prioritize respect for human rights at the core of its corporate activities.

The company stated that it views the controversy not as an isolated issue within a single department, but as an organizational challenge, and committed to pushing forward with radical reforms targeting its management structures, corporate culture, and human rights education to ensure similar incidents never happen again.

Source: Sponichi Annex