Overview
- A third‑party committee led by lawyer Toshihiko Itami published its report on Monday, August 3, and concluded the publisher’s handling of the rehire "aided or contributed to human‑rights violations."
- The report found that a manga author who received a 2020 fine for sexual offenses was rehired under a different pen name to write the serial "Joujin Kamen," with the new run beginning in December 2022.
- Investigators said the Manga One editorial team pushed the rehire and took part in settlement talks while failing to involve senior editorial, legal, or management units in the decision.
- On Tuesday, August 4, Shogakukan accepted the findings, announced voluntary pay returns by the president and other executives, pledged companywide human‑rights training, and said it will publish management‑responsibility and recurrence‑prevention measures; the responsible Manga One editor issued a public apology on social media.
- The committee urged formal cross‑departmental approval for works that pose serious human‑rights risks, a change that may affect creator trust, prompt more withdrawals from Manga One, and shift how Japanese publishers balance editorial autonomy with legal and ethical oversight.