1. Overview
Naoki Hyakuta (百田 尚樹Hyakuta NaokiJapanese, born February 23, 1956) is a Japanese former novelist and television producer who is known for his right-wing political views and his denial of Japanese war crimes committed before and during World War II. He is also the co-founder and current leader of the Conservative Party of Japan.
Hyakuta began his career as a scriptwriter and producer, notably contributing to the popular television program "Detective! Knight Scoop" for 35 years. He debuted as a novelist in 2006 with The Eternal Zero, which became a major best-seller and was adapted into a popular film in 2013. Other notable works include The Man Called Pirate and Nihon Kokuki. His literary success was marked by winning the Honya Taisho award in 2013 for The Man Called Pirate and achieving over 20 million copies in cumulative circulation for his works by 2019.
His public career has been marked by significant controversy, particularly during his tenure as a governor of the public broadcaster NHK from 2013 to 2015, where his historical revisionist statements, including the denial of the Nanjing Massacre, drew widespread criticism from international bodies and historians. Following his resignation from NHK, Hyakuta transitioned into active politics, co-founding the Conservative Party of Japan in 2023. He has faced numerous lawsuits for defamation and accusations of plagiarism in his writings, and his public statements on demographics, women's rights, ethnic minorities, and Okinawan issues have frequently sparked outrage and accusations of misogyny, xenophobia, and promoting misinformation.
2. Early Life and Education
Naoki Hyakuta's early life in Osaka shaped his path towards a diverse career in media and politics.
2.1. Childhood and Studies
Naoki Hyakuta was born on February 23, 1956, in Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. During his formative years, Hyakuta developed an interest in literature and media. As a boy, he was an avid reader of Maru, a Japanese military history magazine, and had a reader submission published in its March 1971 issue. While attending Doshisha University's Faculty of Law, he appeared on the television program "Love Attack!" (aired by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation) in 1978, becoming a regular participant who attempted challenges six times as a third-year university student. He spent five years at the university before ultimately withdrawing without graduating.
3. Career
Naoki Hyakuta's professional journey spans across broadcasting, literature, and politics, where he has achieved significant success while also attracting considerable controversy.
3.1. Broadcast Career
After leaving university, Hyakuta was noticed by Osamu Matsumoto, a producer at Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC TV), who encouraged him to become a scriptwriter. Hyakuta went on to become a prominent broadcast writer, notably serving as the head of composition for the popular investigative variety show "Detective! Knight Scoop" for 35 years. He retired from this role on October 6, 2023, to focus on his political activities. His other contributions as a scriptwriter include programs like "Great Discovery! The Law of Fear." He also appeared on the program "Gokon! Gasshuku! Kaihoku" under the name "Socrates Plato Hyakuta Great Teacher." All these programs were produced by ABC TV.
3.2. Literary Career
Hyakuta made his debut as a novelist in August 2006 with The Eternal Zero. His second novel, BOX!, published in July 2008, was nominated for the 30th Eiji Yoshikawa Literary New Face Award and ranked 5th in the 6th Honya Taisho (Japan Booksellers' Award), subsequently being adapted into a film. In October 2012, The Eternal Zero surpassed 1 million copies in the paperback division of the Oricon "Books" ranking, becoming the 13th novel to achieve this milestone.
In 2013, Hyakuta received the Honya Taisho for his novel The Man Called Pirate, published in July 2012. Upon receiving the award, he famously stated his joy, calling it "far more wonderful than the Naoki Prize, the best award in literature," which garnered significant attention. In September of the same year, he began serializing Fortuna's Eye in Shukan Shincho, marking his first weekly magazine serialization since his debut as a novelist. In October 2013, he was also awarded the 26th Japan Eyewear Best Dresser Award in the Cultural Category.
On June 12, 2019, Hyakuta announced his retirement as a novelist. By December 2019, the cumulative circulation of his published works had exceeded 20 million copies.
4. Major Works
Naoki Hyakuta's literary output includes several commercially successful novels and essays, many of which have generated significant public discussion and controversy due to their themes and historical interpretations.
4.1. The Eternal Zero
Published in 2006, The Eternal Zero is one of Hyakuta's most famous novels. It became a best-seller, selling over 4 million copies, and was adapted into a highly popular film in 2013. The film's box office success was notable, becoming the 7th highest-grossing Japanese live-action film and the highest-grossing Toho-distributed film at the time, earning over 8.50 B JPY.

Despite its commercial success, The Eternal Zero faced criticism, particularly from renowned Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki, who called the novel "a pack of lies" about the war. In response, Hyakuta publicly speculated that Miyazaki "wasn't right in the head." Critics argued that the novel and its film adaptation downplayed Japanese war crimes and aggressive actions, instead focusing on a moving human drama set against the backdrop of war. This approach was seen by some as an attempt to dilute the tragedy of war and the suffering of its victims, thereby sidestepping Japan's responsibility for its wartime actions.
4.2. Other Notable Works
Beyond The Eternal Zero, Hyakuta has authored numerous other books, several of which have also been adapted into films. These include BOX! (2008) and Monster (2010).
His 2012 novel, The Man Called Pirate, which chronicles the life of Sazo Idemitsu, the founder of Idemitsu Kosan, also became a multi-million-copy best-seller and was adapted into a film in 2016, grossing 2.37 B JPY. However, the novel drew criticism from some Idemitsu company insiders and former employees, who claimed it presented an inaccurate portrayal of Sazo Idemitsu. Yasuo Okumoto, a former employee, published "Seiden Idemitsu Sazo" to offer a more accurate account. Okumoto stated that Hyakuta, when meeting Sazo Idemitsu's eldest son, Shosuke Idemitsu, admitted the title "The Man Called Pirate" was chosen primarily for sales, which reportedly displeased Shosuke. Okumoto also noted that Idemitsu Kosan did not financially support the film adaptation. Hyakuta, in turn, refuted these claims on Twitter, stating that the meeting with Shosuke was amicable, he never said the title was solely for sales, and that Idemitsu Kosan management had expressed gratitude for his work, even asking him to write against a foreign partnership. He also clarified that while he did not view "pirate" negatively, it was a term previously used by competitors to criticize Sazo Idemitsu. The film's credits, however, list Idemitsu Kosan as providing "research cooperation and materials."
In 2018, Hyakuta released Nihon Kokuki (A Record of Japan), which was promoted by its publisher as "the ultimate overview of Japanese history." This book became a best-seller but quickly faced accusations of containing fictitious statements and plagiarism from various sources, including Wikipedia articles. Hyakuta himself acknowledged some instances of copying. Author Yasumi Tsuhara criticized the book as "a book praising one's own country filled with copy-and-pasted excerpts from the web." An investigation by the Mainichi Shimbun revealed that the hardcover edition underwent at least 50 corrections from its first to ninth printings, and even the paperback edition retained significant historical inaccuracies, such as an incorrect reference to an emperor's visit to Yasukuni Shrine. Journalist Furuya Tsunekiyo also pointed out numerous errors and criticized the book for echoing classical conspiracy theories prevalent among the Japanese net-right, such as the claim that Japan's expansion into China was a Comintern conspiracy rather than an invasion.
Other significant literary contributions include Shadow Play (2010), Jun'ai (2014), The Paradise of Frogs (2016), and Great Common Sense (2023). He has also published essays such as Now, Let's Apologize to Korea (2017) and War and Peace (2017), and non-fiction works like The Strongest Man on Earth (2020).
| Title | Publication Year | Publisher | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Eternal Zero | 2006 | Ohta Publishing | Re-released as paperback by Kodansha in 2009 |
| Holy Night's Gift / Shining Night (retitled) | 2007 / 2010 | Ohta Publishing / Kodansha | Collection of short stories |
| BOX! | 2008 | Ohta Publishing | Adapted into film; paperback in 2010 and 2013 (both two volumes) |
| Maria in the Wind | 2009 | Kodansha | Paperback in 2011 |
| Monster | 2010 | Gentosha | Adapted into film; paperback in 2012 |
| Ring / The Man Who Defeated the Golden Bantam (retitled) | 2010 / 2012 | PHP Institute / PHP Bunko | |
| Shadow Play | 2010 | Kodansha | Paperback in 2012 |
| Anchor Aweigh | 2010 | Kodansha | Two volumes; re-released by Gentosha in 2019 (four volumes) |
| Happy Life | 2011 | Shodensha | Collection of short stories; paperback in 2013 |
| Prism | 2011 | Gentosha | Paperback in 2014 |
| The Man Called Pirate | 2012 | Kodansha | Two volumes; paperback in 2014; adapted into film |
| The Man Who Sells Dreams | 2013 | Ohta Publishing | Paperback in 2015 |
| Fortuna's Eye | 2014 | Shinchosha | Paperback in 2015 |
| Jun'ai | 2014 | Gentosha | Subject of defamation lawsuits |
| The Paradise of Frogs | 2016 | Shinchosha | Paperback in 2017 |
| Genan | 2016 | Bungeishunju | Two volumes |
| Summer Knight | 2019 | Shinchosha | |
| The Paradise of Frogs 2020 | 2020 | Shinchosha | |
| The Price of a Stray Dog | 2020 | Gentosha |
5. Political Career
Naoki Hyakuta's political involvement intensified with his appointment to the board of Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, and later with his direct entry into party politics.
5.1. NHK Governor
In 2013, Hyakuta was appointed as one of 12 members of the board of governors of NHK, Japan's national broadcaster. This appointment came after the re-election of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Shinzō Abe, whom Hyakuta had supported in his bid to regain LDP leadership the previous year. While his selection initially drew some criticism, the National Diet approved his appointment in November 2013.
However, Hyakuta's tenure as an NHK governor became highly controversial due to his historical views, particularly his denial of the Nanjing Massacre. These views gained renewed attention following a speech he gave in support of Toshio Tamogami's campaign for the Tokyo governorship in 2014. His statements sparked extended controversy, with the US Embassy in Tokyo describing his views as "preposterous" and "unreasonable." The Chinese Foreign Ministry also criticized his remarks as a "blatant challenge to international justice and human conscience." Concerns about the impartiality of public broadcasting were raised. Hyakuta resigned from his position as an NHK governor in February 2015, serving only one term.
5.2. Leader of the Conservative Party of Japan
On June 12, 2023, Hyakuta publicly declared his intention to run for the Japanese House of Representatives and form a new political party if the LGBT Understanding Promotion Act, then under discussion in the National Diet, were to pass. Four days later, on June 16, the bill was passed into law.
Consequently, Hyakuta announced the formation of the Conservative Party of Japan on September 1, 2023. He co-founded the party and assumed the role of its leader, with Takashi Kawamura, the Mayor of Nagoya, appointed as Vice President, and journalist Kaori Arimoto as Secretary General. The party's platform is generally characterized by conservative and nationalist principles.
6. Ideology and Political Stances
Naoki Hyakuta is widely recognized for his staunch right-wing and nationalist ideology, which is often associated with conservative and historical revisionist viewpoints.
6.1. Right-wing Politics
Hyakuta's political alignment is firmly rooted in the Japanese right-wing. He has been a vocal supporter of conservative figures, notably Shinzō Abe, and has consistently advocated for policies and interpretations that align with a nationalist agenda. His views often emphasize traditional Japanese values and a strong sense of national pride.
6.2. Historical Views and War Revisionism
Hyakuta's interpretations of Japanese history, particularly concerning World War II and its aftermath, are highly controversial and have frequently drawn accusations of historical revisionism. He has consistently downplayed or denied Japanese war crimes and has sought to reframe Japan's wartime actions in a more positive light.
6.2.1. Nanjing Massacre Denial
Hyakuta is a prominent figure in the denial of the Nanjing Massacre. In a speech on March 3, 2014, supporting Toshio Tamogami's bid for the Tokyo governorship, Hyakuta explicitly stated that the Nanjing Massacre "never happened." He further asserted that the Tokyo War Crimes Trials were a "sham" designed to conceal war crimes committed by the United States, such as the firebombing and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He claimed that allegations of the Nanjing Massacre were introduced at the Tokyo Trials solely to counterbalance the war crimes committed by the US. He also stated that he saw no need to teach such matters to children, preferring that they be taught about Japan's greatness.
His statements drew strong condemnation. A press officer at the US Embassy in Tokyo described Hyakuta's views as "preposterous," and the United States Department of State further deemed them "unreasonable." The Chinese Foreign Ministry criticized his denial as a "blatant challenge to international justice and human conscience." Notably, his co-leader in the Conservative Party of Japan, Takashi Kawamura, also made similar statements regarding the Nanjing Massacre during his time as Mayor of Nagoya, which led to the city of Nanjing severing its sister city ties with Nagoya in 2012.
6.2.2. Views on World War II
Hyakuta's arguments consistently aim to downplay Japanese war crimes and frame Japan's wartime actions in a more positive light, often promoting nationalistic narratives over historical accuracy and accountability. For instance, in 2014, during his tenure as an NHK governor, he claimed it was incorrect to assert that ethnic Koreans were forcibly brought to Japan during the Japanese colonial period.
In a 2023 interview with AbemaTV, Hyakuta sought to justify Japan's involvement in World War II, arguing that Japan "liberated" Southeast Asia from Western imperialism. He contended that "if Japan had not existed, much of Asia would still be colonies of Western powers today, and the world today would be 'like hell'." His novel The Eternal Zero and its film adaptation have also been criticized for contributing to this narrative by focusing on a heroic, human-centric story that minimizes the depiction of Japanese war crimes and aggression, thereby trivializing the suffering of victims and sidestepping Japan's wartime responsibilities.
7. Controversies and Criticisms
Naoki Hyakuta has been a frequent subject of public backlash, legal challenges, and widespread criticism due to his controversial statements and works, which often touch upon issues of historical accuracy, defamation, and social impact.
7.1. Historical Revisionism and Denial
Hyakuta's consistent downplaying of Japanese war crimes and his nationalist interpretations of history have been a recurring source of criticism. His statements, particularly during his time as an NHK governor, garnered international attention and contributed to concerns about the integrity of public broadcasting. Critics argue that his views distort historical understanding and negatively impact international relations, especially with countries that were victims of Japanese aggression during World War II.
7.2. Literary and Publication Controversies
Hyakuta has faced accusations of plagiarism and defamation in his literary career.
His 2018 book, Nihon Kokuki, despite being a best-seller, was found to contain fictitious statements and instances of plagiarism from various sources, including Wikipedia. The author himself admitted to some copying. Critics, such as Yasumi Tsuhara, described it as a book "filled with copy-and-pasted excerpts from the web." The Mainichi Shimbun reported that the hardcover edition underwent at least 50 corrections from its first to ninth printings, and even the paperback edition retained significant historical inaccuracies, such as an incorrect reference to an emperor's visit to Yasukuni Shrine. Journalist Furuya Tsunekiyo also pointed out numerous errors and criticized the book for adhering to classical conspiracy theories of the Japanese net-right.
In 2014, Hyakuta published Jun'ai, a book written in memory of his deceased friend, television host Yashiki Takajin. The book, presented as a work of reporting, depicted Takajin's daughter and manager as callous individuals who abandoned him in his final days. Both Takajin's daughter and manager subsequently sued Hyakuta and his publisher, Gentosha, for defamation. Hyakuta claimed the book was "fiction," despite naming real individuals. He had heavily relied on uncritical interviews with Takajin's widow and did not disclose her bigamy in the book's text, only admitting to it later. After multiple appeals, the Supreme Court of Japan ruled in December 2017 that Hyakuta had defamed Takajin's daughter, ordering him and Gentosha to pay 3.65 M JPY in compensation. In November 2018, the Tokyo District Court also found that Hyakuta had defamed Takajin's manager, ordering an additional 2.75 M JPY in compensation and a written apology.
Additionally, his 2012 novel The Man Called Pirate has been criticized by some former employees and family members of Sazo Idemitsu, the real-life figure on whom the novel is based, for portraying an inaccurate image.
He was also involved in a defamation lawsuit with journalist Daisuke Tsuda over tweets related to the Aichi Triennale 2019 exhibition. Hyakuta had tweeted that Tsuda was "used by suspicious Korean organization" and "used by anti-Japanese leftists." In April 2023, the Tokyo District Court found 6 of Hyakuta's tweets to be illegal and defamatory, ordering him to pay 300.00 K JPY in damages. Upon appeal, the High Court in December 2023 increased the compensation to 500.00 K JPY, ruling that an additional 6 tweets were also defamatory. The court highlighted Hyakuta's status as a prominent writer with a large following, emphasizing that the illegality of his posts was not minor and that the emotional distress caused to Tsuda was significant.
7.3. Controversial Public Statements
Hyakuta's public remarks have frequently drawn widespread criticism for their social and political implications, often targeting specific groups or societal norms.
7.3.1. Demographics and Women's Rights
On November 8, 2024, during his YouTube program "News Asahi 8 o'clock!", Hyakuta discussed Japan's declining birth rate. He suggested radical policies, stating that to reverse the falling fertility rate, "social structure must be changed." While repeatedly prefacing his remarks as "science fiction," he proposed policies such as "prohibiting women from not attending university after the age of 18," "banning women who are single at 25 from ever getting married," and controversially, "performing a hysterectomy on women who have not given birth by the age of 30." When his co-host, Kaori Arimoto, interjected, "Stop it, that's too much even for science fiction," Hyakuta explained he was trying to illustrate "time limits" in a stark manner. These suggestions sparked intense public criticism and were reported by international media outlets. Hyakuta later claimed his words were misinterpreted and were merely "suggestions based on science fiction," but he subsequently apologized and retracted his statements on November 9 and 10.
In March 2015, Hyakuta tweeted, "It's freedom to want to have sex with the same gender, but it's also freedom to think of such people as perverts," a tweet he later deleted after facing backlash.
7.3.2. Xenophobic and Discriminatory Remarks
Hyakuta has been widely reported by major Korean news media as an "anti-Korean" writer. In 2017, he declared, "Abolish Chinese Classics classes! Children will misunderstand China as a great country!" In the same year, on a DHC program, he controversially claimed that while Koreans wrote Chinese characters, they could not develop their own writing system, and that Japanese textbooks were distributed to them, asserting that "Japanese people unified Hangul into its current form!" In 2014, as an NHK governor, he also claimed it was incorrect to state that ethnic Koreans were forcibly brought to Japan during the Japanese colonial period.
His comments have also targeted transgender individuals. In July 2020, regarding NHK's report on Ochanomizu University accepting transgender students, Hyakuta tweeted, "Alright, I'll study hard from now on and aim to enter Ochanomizu University in 2020!" This tweet was widely criticized as insensitive and discriminatory. In June 2023, on his YouTube channel, he advocated for a law that would "obligate transgender women to remove their genitals," stating, "If they are absolutely women, they should have surgery. Obligate it. Just snip, snip." In a September 2023 interview, commenting on a Supreme Court ruling that found restrictions on a transgender employee's use of a women's restroom illegal, Hyakuta stated, "If women's toilets are okay, then women's baths and changing rooms will also be okay. From now on, 'perverts' who abuse the LGBT law and precedents will appear one after another for sex crimes." This interpretation was refuted by critics like Yoshinori Kobayashi, who pointed out that the ruling explicitly stated that handling should be determined on a case-by-case basis and did not broadly permit access to all women's facilities.
In April 2018, Hyakuta quoted a tweet from a former Asahi Shimbun female reporter who described being groped during an interview and told by a male senior to "endure it." Hyakuta then retweeted this, adding, "I see! From now on, if I'm interviewed by an Asahi Shimbun female reporter, I'll grab her breasts. If she complains, I'll tell her, 'Don't you know it's the company's policy to endure that much!'"
In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, when then-Justice Minister Masako Mori tweeted thanks to Jack Ma for donating masks, Hyakuta quoted her tweet and responded, "Who is this idiot! Is this the Minister of Justice? How pathetic. What is 'Thank you Jack'? If you like him so much, let him embrace you."
7.3.4. Political Commentary and Endorsements
Hyakuta has been an active commentator on Japanese and international politics. During the 2012 LDP presidential election, he was a key supporter of Shinzō Abe, even co-founding a private volunteer group to advocate for Abe's return as prime minister. In the 2014 Tokyo gubernatorial election, he publicly endorsed Toshio Tamogami, controversially describing other major candidates as "human scum." While he later expressed regret for the "human scum" comment, he defended his right to express personal views as a writer.
In the 2020 United States presidential election, Hyakuta strongly supported Donald Trump, asserting that Trump would be re-elected due to vote fraud. He even tweeted that he would retire as a novelist if Trump lost, though he later clarified that Trump's loss was not yet confirmed.
He has also been critical of the Democratic Party of Japan, stating in a 2012 television program that they "lie like breathing." In 2014, he referred to the Japan Teachers' Union (Nikkyoso), a major supporter of the Democratic Party, as the "cancer of Japan," accusing them of instilling a "sense of atonement" in children instead of teaching them about Japan's greatness. He has consistently advocated for constitutional revision, particularly for the establishment of a military, stating in a 2013 discussion with Shoichi Watabe that the Abe administration should prioritize this.
His political endorsements have sometimes appeared inconsistent. In August 2021, he criticized Sanae Takaichi for drafting a resolution against Hotaka Maruyama, stating his evaluation of Takaichi had "plummeted." However, just eleven days later, in September 2021, he declared his full support for Takaichi in the LDP presidential election, stating she was the only choice. In the 2024 LDP presidential election, after Shigeru Ishiba was elected, Hyakuta claimed on social media that "half of the party members voted for Takaichi," despite official results showing she received only 29.3% of the party member and party friend votes.
He has also made unsubstantiated claims against political figures. He accused former Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto of benefiting Shanghai Electric, but has not provided evidence for this claim, which Hashimoto denies. He also criticized Ishiba's election as Prime Minister, questioning how someone from Tottori Prefecture, a region with a small population, could become Prime Minister, despite Ishiba's electoral district having 230,959 voters, which was comparable to Shinzō Abe's former district in Yamaguchi Prefecture with 244,858 voters. Furthermore, Ishiba received 105,441 votes, more than Abe's 80,448 in their respective 2021 general election contests.
In December 2015, Hyakuta tweeted, "Writers should be solitary and free speakers. Writers and journalists who want to become politicians are all fakes." This statement drew criticism for its irony given his own later entry into politics.
7.3.5. Misinformation and False Claims
Hyakuta has been accused of promoting unsubstantiated theories and factual inaccuracies.
He was a prominent supporter of the recall campaign against Aichi Prefectural Governor Hideaki Omura, which stemmed from controversies surrounding the Aichi Triennale 2019 art exhibition. Hyakuta attended press conferences and street speeches for the "Aichi 1 Million Recall Association," claiming that the exhibition was a "tax fraud." However, after the Aichi Prefectural Election Administration Commission found that 83.2% of the submitted signatures (over 360,000 out of 430,000) were invalid due to forgery, Hyakuta tweeted "I don't know" and later claimed he had "no responsibility" and was "completely unrelated" to the fraud.
On July 8, 2022, following the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Hyakuta tweeted that Abe had died at 4:59 PM JST, four minutes before official confirmation by major media outlets. This "flying post" drew criticism. While he initially defended his action, stating "Is the media's announcement everything?", he later apologized, acknowledging he was "distraught" and "lacked consideration."
8. Personal Life
Naoki Hyakuta has shared some details about his personal life, including his health and hobbies.
8.1. Health
On December 27, 2023, Hyakuta publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer, stating it was an "internal organ" cancer. He was admitted to the hospital on January 10, 2024, to undergo surgery for kidney cancer.
8.2. Hobbies and Interests
Hyakuta's hobbies include magic and Go, in which he holds a 6th dan rank. He is known for his extensive collection of materials in his workroom and library, which are reportedly so packed that there is little room to walk.
9. Electoral Activities
Naoki Hyakuta has recently engaged in direct electoral activities in Japan. In October 2024, he announced his candidacy for the 50th House of Representatives general election, running in the Kinki region proportional representation block. He was listed as the third candidate on the Conservative Party of Japan's list. However, he was not elected in the election.
10. Impact and Reception
Naoki Hyakuta's career as a novelist, television producer, and politician has had a significant impact on Japanese society and political discourse. His best-selling novels, particularly The Eternal Zero and The Man Called Pirate, have achieved widespread commercial success, cementing his status as a popular author. However, his literary works are often intertwined with his controversial political views, leading to debates about historical accuracy and nationalistic narratives.
His tenure as an NHK governor and his subsequent role as a political party leader have made him a prominent, albeit divisive, figure. He is widely seen as a leading voice of the Japanese right-wing, and his outspoken historical revisionism, particularly regarding World War II and the Nanjing Massacre, has drawn strong condemnation from international bodies, historians, and human rights advocates. His public statements on social issues, including demographics, women's rights, and minority groups, have frequently sparked outrage and accusations of misogyny, xenophobia, and the spread of misinformation.
The controversies surrounding his works, such as accusations of plagiarism in Nihon Kokuki and defamation lawsuits related to Jun'ai, have also highlighted ethical and legal questions in his professional conduct. Despite the criticisms, Hyakuta maintains a dedicated following among conservative circles in Japan, and his influence on public opinion and political discourse, especially among the net-right, remains notable. His legacy is characterized by both his popular cultural contributions and his polarizing political activism.

