In this week’s news roundup we report on Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which surpassed 1 million players in less than a day. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba claims the vouchers he presented to newly-elected LDP lawmakers didn’t violate the Political Funds Control Law. Japan marks 30 years since Aum Shinrikyo’s sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system. The Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly confirms that hikers on all four trails of Mount Fuji will be charged ¥4,000. Shohei Ohtani hits his first homer of the season at the Tokyo Dome. And Japan become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, aside from the hosts.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Crosses 1 Million Milestone in Less Than 24 Hours
Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which is set in feudal Japan, was released at 12 a.m. on Thursday. Within 24 hours, Ubisoft revealed that it already had over 1 million players. The previous game in the series, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, released in 2020, sold 1.7 million units in its first month. Early reviews for the game have also been favorable. “The world truly is gorgeous, with several provinces to explore in all seasons and weathers, and period-accurate cities including Kyoto and Osaka,” wrote Daniella Lucas in The Guardian.
The two protagonists in the game are Naoe, the brains, and Yasuke, the brawn. When the first official trailer dropped last May, there was a mixed reaction to the inclusion of the latter among netizens. While historians agree that Yasuke did exist, there is an ongoing debate as to whether he was an actual samurai. Some netizens have also voiced their displeasure at the fact that the game includes an option for Yasuke to romance Oda Nobunaga’s sister, Lady Oichi.
Approval Rating for Ishiba’s Cabinet Drops Sharply Amid Gift-Giving Scandal
According to a nationwide telephone poll conducted by The Asahi Shimbun on the weekend, the approval rating for Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet has fallen to just 26%. That’s the lowest it’s been since he formed the Cabinet last October. It’s also a 14% drop from February. The disapproval rating, meanwhile, rose to 59%, a 15% increase from the previous survey. The poll was taken shortly after Ishiba admitted that his office handed out gift vouchers worth ¥100,000 each to 15 newly-elected Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers.
Under the Political Funds Control Law, donations to politicians for political activities are banned. That includes gift vouchers. However, Ishiba claims he didn’t violate the legislation as the vouchers were for the “intention of expressing thanks.” He added, “Over the years, I’ve been called many things, such as unsociable and stingy. I believe I was overly sensitive about that reputation. I’m very remorseful and I apologize.” It’s also been reported that the office of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida distributed ¥100,000 gift vouchers to parliamentary vice ministers in 2022. 
Japan Remembers Victims of Sarin Gas Attack
At around 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, a moment of silence was observed at Kasumigaseki Station in Tokyo. At that time, 30 years ago, members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin gas in packed rush-hour subway cars on three lines in central Tokyo. It was the most severe attack on these shores since the end of World War II. Fourteen people died and more than 6,000 were injured. Had the sarin been pure, the fatalities would have been significantly higher. It was an attack that sent shock waves throughout the country.
“It was a long 30 years. I don’t want people to forget about the incident,” said Shizue Takahashi, 78, whose husband, a deputy stationmaster, was killed on the day. The group behind the terrorist act was led by Shoko Asahara. After the attack, fear swept through the nation. Japan’s image as one of the world’s safest nations had been shattered. Citizens were afraid to ride on trains and trash cans were removed from stations. Asahara and12 of his followers were executed in July 2018.
Climbers To Be Charged ¥4,000 on All Four Mount Fuji Trails
On Monday, the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly passed an ordinance to scrap its voluntary ¥1,000 conservation fee for those planning to climb Mount Fuji and replace it with a mandatory ¥4,000 entry fee for all climbers. It will apply to the Fujinomiya, Subashiri and Gotemba trails on the country’s highest peak. The assembly also passed an ordinance to limit access to its trails between 2 p.m. and 3 a.m. to only those with mountain hut reservations. This has been put in place to discourage overnight “bullet climbing.”
Last year, Yamanashi Prefecture introduced a ¥2,000 entry fee plus an optional donation on its popular Yoshida Trail. In December, it announced it would be doubling that fee. As a result, all four trails to the top of the volcano will cost ¥4,000. It is hoped that the price increase will discourage overcrowding. The total number of hikers in 2024 was 204,316, a 7.7% decrease from the previous summer. The number of climbers on the Fujinomiya, Subashiri and Gotemba trails, however, increased by 6.4%.
Ohtani Hits First Homer of the Season As Dodgers Defeat Cubs in Tokyo Series
For the sixth time, the Tokyo Dome hosted a Major League Baseball (MLB) season opener this week. Tickets for the two-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs sold out in around an hour last month and were listed for as much as ¥2.5 million on resale sites. Featuring five Japanese players — Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki — it was a momentous occasion. Even Ohtani admitted to being nervous.
Yamamoto and Imanaga both impressed in what was the first all-Japanese starting pitching matchup on opening day in MLB history. In five innings, Yamamoto allowed just one run and struck out four as the Dodgers won the game 4-1. Imanaga, meanwhile, threw four scoreless innings. The following night, Sasaki made his MLB debut. He was erratic, but showed flashes of brilliance as the Dodgers triumphed again. The highlight for locals, though, was Ohtani’s homerun in his side’s 6-3 victory.
Japan Become First Team To Qualify for 2026 World Cup
Japan defeated Bahrain 2-0 on Thursday to become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored the goals that clinched the team’s place at next year’s tournament, which will be played in the US, Canada and Mexico. “I believe we needed one win from the last four matches, but I shared the message with the players to seal it today with a win,” said coach, Hajime Moriyasu. “That was the last word I gave them before sending them on to the pitch.”
In Europe, Ayase Ueda bagged a brace for Feyenoord in their 6-2 win over Twente. Takuma Asano netted for Mallorca as they defeated Espanyol 2-1. Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate both scored in Celtic’s 3-2 defeat to Rangers. Yuki Ohashi found the net in Blackburn’s 2-1 loss against Cardiff. And Koki Saito struck for QPR in their 2-2 draw with Leeds United. In the women’s League Cup final, Japan’s star player, Yu Hasegawa, scored an unfortunate own-goal in Man City’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea.
