Pokémon Cancels Tokyo Card Event Following Immediate Backlash from China

The Pokémon Company has canceled a planned Trading Card Game event scheduled for January 31 at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine. The retraction came immediately following sharp criticism originating from China, highlighting the significant historical sensitivities Japanese entertainment brands must navigate in the region.

The Yasukuni Shrine remains a major point of contention for China and South Korea because it honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals. These nations view official visits or endorsements of the site as a failure by Japan to fully acknowledge its wartime history.

Reports confirmed the event was organized privately by a certified player and intended for children. It was listed on the official Pokémon website, which the company later admitted was done without sufficient internal review.

Chinese state media reacted swiftly to the listing. The People's Daily, the official voice of the Communist Party, issued a direct warning that any brand ignoring history and offending Chinese sentiment would eventually be rejected by the market. The Global Times echoed this stance, labeling the shrine notorious and urging Chinese consumers to reconsider supporting Japanese companies.

By January 30, The Pokémon Company issued a bilingual apology. They admitted the event "should not have been held to begin with" and attributed the listing to a lack of understanding. The company confirmed the event and all related promotional materials were scrubbed from their site.

While Pokémon framed the incident as an internal administrative error, the speed of the retraction speaks volumes about the current political climate. For major players like Pokémon, whose revenue relies heavily on the Chinese market, navigating these complex political and historical fault lines is now a fundamental part of daily operations.