Shogakukan announced on August 3 the results of a third‑party investigation into misconduct in its Manga ONE editorial department and the measures it will implement to prevent recurrence.

The external committee examined 44 reported incidents of alleged sexual misconduct and other abuses involving senior executives, employees and editors, including cases linked to manga creator Shōichi Yamamoto, whose civil case was decided on February 20. The committee concluded that the company sometimes responded appropriately but often failed to adequately address human‑rights concerns, noting that editorial decisions were prioritized over victim perspectives and that coordination among editorial, legal, administrative and managerial departments was insufficient.

The panel specifically criticized Shogakukan for encouraging and supporting the violation of a victim’s human rights in the Yamamoto case and for lacking systems to recognize power imbalances between editors and creators and to assess human‑rights risks. In response, the company’s executive staff, including the CEO, managing directors, board members and auditors, will cut monthly salaries for three months, with the CEO reducing his pay by 50 % and other executives by 20‑30 %.

Shogakukan said it will apply the committee’s proposals through a series of five measures. First, it will establish a Human Rights Policy, drafted on March 19, and a Human Rights Committee chaired by senior managing director Kumiko Hanazuka, with involvement from external experts. Second, the company will expand human‑rights training for staff, managers, creators and freelancers, and introduce seminars on victim support and whistleblowing. Third, it will revise contracts with external creators to include human‑rights clauses and set up a clear reporting structure involving editorial, legal and administrative units. Fourth, the Board of Directors will regularly report on violations, with oversight by the Risk Management Office, Human Rights Committee and Legal Department, and special response committees will be created for severe cases. Fifth, a grievance system compliant with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights will be launched, allowing anonymous reporting, victim protection and dedicated psychological counseling for sexual‑assault cases.

Shogakukan stated it will publish the full list of proposed measures in English at a later date, and the company will continue to review the effectiveness of its new policies.