Yakuza Kiwami 3 Hit with Backlash for Hiring Actor Accused of Sexual Harassment

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People who enjoy the Yakuza series are asking others to stop buying the newly announced Yakuza Kiwami 3 after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against one of the actors. Back in 2016, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio in Japan started releasing updated versions of the original Yakuza games, calling them Yakuza Kiwami. The second game in the series was remade in 2017 and became available globally the next year. Ever since, fans have been anxiously awaiting updates about Yakuza Kiwami 3.

Around mid-September, Yakuza Kiwami 3 briefly appeared on RGG Studio’s website before being taken down, which quickly got fans talking and speculating about a possible announcement. That announcement arrived just a week later, along with a new trailer revealing a new side story for Yakuza Kiwami 3 called “Dark Ties,” focusing on the backstory of Yoshitaka Mine. The new release will also include other updates and modifications, though some of these changes haven’t been well-received by fans.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 Has an Actor Who’s Admitted to Sexual Misconduct

Several gamers are disappointed that three characters from Yakuza 3 are getting new designs and voice actors in Yakuza Kiwami 3. Shigeru Nakahara, Rikiya Shimabukuro, and Goh Hamazaki will all be played by different actors in the remake, with Teruyuki Kagawa taking on the role of Hamazaki. Kagawa is a well-established performer in Japan, boasting a career of over twenty years in film and TV. However, he faced accusations of sexual harassment in 2019, which he later admitted to in 2022. This led to the end of his endorsement deal with Toyota, where he was a public figure. Now, Yakuza series fans are urging RGG Studio and Sega to take similar action.

Despite the hiring, some people are upset that Kagawa was chosen for the role. Given his fame as a leading actor in Japan – including award wins – many fans find it hard to believe that RGG Studio and Sega didn’t know about the sexual harassment claims against him before hiring him to play Goh Hamazaki. As a result, fans are urging a boycott of Yakuza Kiwami 3, and are asking players to cancel their pre-orders as a sign of their disapproval.

I just found out there’s a petition on change.org about this, and it already has almost 2,500 signatures! It basically says that the Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku series is all about what’s right and wrong, so it’s really upsetting to see someone with admitted sexual misconduct involved. Honestly, it feels awful. As of right now, neither the developers nor the publisher have said anything about it, which is frustrating.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is scheduled to come out on February 11, 2026. Because of this timing, the voice acting for Goh Hamazaki is probably already finished, and his updated appearance has likely been designed and animated. Still, it’s possible that RGG Studio or Sega might decide to replace Teruyuki Kagawa in the role, particularly if fans strongly object to the change.

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2025-10-01 07:07