Minori: “Come to Japan to Play our Games, Foreigners!”

In an update to its standard “foreigners go home” unwelcome page for non-Yamato barbarians, eroge publisher Minori has updated with a lengthy screed essentially telling fans to come to Japan if they want to play their games, and to get lost otherwise.

Their full statement to foreigners is not worth reproducing here (and it is entirely in Japanese, of course), but the gist of it is that Minori considers its actions in crudely shutting down an unauthorised fan translation entirely justified by internationally agreed WTO regulations regarding the treatment of translation copyright (Minori is entirely correct in thinking this, and acting well within its rights).

It then goes on to give its supposed rationale for stopping any international release – it is worried about its legal obligations to ensure its software is properly rated overseas, and that it is fully legal (it appears they are concerned about loli content, although they say nothing specific); they also claim to be worried about their “many, many” overseas fans falling foul of censorship laws in their own wretched nations – a familiar claim.

They also say “We are saddened to so often be called a bunch of foreigner-hating racists – we are only pursuing the cause of world happiness.”

They part with a jolly suggestion to fans:

“Inhabitants of foreign lands! Why not come to Japan? As long as you play our games in Japan, and are over 18, there’s no risk at all! There are lots of shops in Akihabara. It’s a bit hot in summer, but it’s a nice place all the same – we’ll be waiting for you!”