Yakuza Kiwami 3 developer RGC Studio is facing calls for a boycott of the upcoming game after hiring an actor who has previously admitted to sexual harrassment.
Teruyuki Kagawa, a well-known Japanese actor who has worked in multiple roles in film and television as well as on stage, was brought in to voice Goh Hamazaki in the latest in a series of remakes of the Yakuza games.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 Actor Confessed to Sexual Harassment
However, in 2022, Japanese media reported that Teruyuki forcibly touched a woman in a club in 2019. The next day, Teruyuki issued a statement through his agency admitting to the harrassment, saying: “Everything is my fault. I apologize for making the other person uncomfortable again with this report. I am sorry for the inconvenience caused.”
The episode cost Teruyuki a role as a brand ambassador for Toyota, and a new petition has been launched by fans calling for the actor to be removed from the role, and for fans to boycott the title.
Petition Launched Against Yakuza Kiwami 3 Actor
The petition, which has over 2,500 signatures, states: “It’s worth noting that in the past multiple actors were excluded from production and their likeness changed for mere allegations of drug use, some of which have proven to be untrue.”
“The Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku franchise is about morality, something both Masayoshi Yokoyama and Toshihiro Nagoshi have spoken about time and time again. The series itself has delved into the topic of sexual abuse multiple times. Knowing that it is abhorrent to knowingly hire a person who has admitted to sexual misconduct.”
So far, RGC Studio have not responded to the complaints, and with the game set for release in early 2026, there would be a limited amount of time to replace Teruyuki even if the petition was successful.
