Publisher “Kodansha” is recalling one of their novels after it was criticised for allegedly declaring a real person dead. The person in question is a living individual who was portrayed as diseased and deceased in the narrative. The nature of the book and the person involved have not been disclosed yet. Kodansha issued a formal apology and referenced a lack of thorough fact-checking as a reason for the incident.

In Japan, the portrayal of real individuals in fiction often involves strict legal and ethical considerations to protect personal dignity and privacy rights. As the society deeply values honor and respect, any negative or false representation can be met with severe backlash. Privacy laws and defamation laws can be enacted if the subject feels their portrayal was damaging or false.

Similar controversies have taken place in the U.S. and the EU. Freedom of expression is balanced with right to privacy and defamation laws. If living individuals are portrayed negatively or falsely in works of fiction, lawsuits can occur. However, the cultural focus on the protection of reputation can make these situations particularly delicate in Japan.