A controversial U.S. book questioning an increase in young women seeking gender transition will come out in Japanese in April, according to its new publisher Sankei Shimbun Publications Inc.

"Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters" by journalist Abigail Shrier, had previously been set to be released by another publisher, industry heavyweight Kadokawa Corp., on Jan. 24, but it was nixed due to criticism.

The 2020 book argues online influencers and gender-affirming figures are causing girls without genuine gender dysphoria to make life-altering changes to their bodies.

Kadokawa pulled the book from its slate in December after concluding the translated title and sales copy announcing its release was hurtful to the transgender community.

Kadokawa's title could be translated as "That girl's become transgender, too: The tragedy of the sex-change craze spread on social media."

Sankei Shimbun Publications, the book-publishing imprint of the conservative Sankei Shimbun newspaper owned by the Sankei Shimbun Co., said Tuesday it decided to release the book which it says "contains content that we hope many people will read."

The publisher also said it "had reservations about a U.S. bestseller being unable to receive publication in Japan."

The firm said it has already received polarized views on social media over the move to publish.

The Japanese title for the book under Sankei Shimbun Publications has yet to be confirmed. The marketing copy for the book's listing in online shopping describes its release as "at last, the publication of that 'burned book.'"


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