Pokémon Cancels Card Game Event at Japan’s Yasukuni Shrine After China Backlash

The Pokémon Company has cancelled a trading card game event planned at Japan’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine following strong criticism from China.

The company apologised for promoting the event on its official website, saying it was organised by a certified third party and “should not have been held in the first place.” The event had been scheduled for Saturday at the Tokyo shrine, which commemorates Japan’s war dead, including convicted war criminals.

Yasukuni Shrine honours about 2.5 million Japanese soldiers who died in various conflicts, including the Sino-Japanese wars and World War II. However, the inclusion of more than 1,000 convicted war criminals has long made the site a sensitive and controversial symbol for countries that suffered under Japanese wartime occupation, particularly China.

Chinese state media strongly criticised the planned event. The Communist Party’s official outlet, People’s Daily, warned that brands which “disregard history and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will ultimately be abandoned,” urging companies to show greater social responsibility. The state-run Global Times also praised Chinese netizens for condemning the event, describing the staging of entertainment activities — especially those aimed at children — at the shrine as an affront to historical truth.

In a statement on Friday, The Pokémon Company said the event was “mistakenly posted” on its card game website due to a lack of due diligence. “After the incident was discovered, the event was promptly cancelled,” the company said, adding that it would strengthen its internal approval processes to prevent a recurrence.

The controversy comes amid strained relations between China and Japan, following comments by Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggesting Tokyo could respond militarily if China attacked Taiwan. Beijing considers the self-governing island part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force.

The diplomatic row has already seen both governments advise their citizens against travelling to the other country, while the release of two popular Japanese films in China was postponed.

Pokémon, which debuted as a video game franchise in 1996, has since grown into a global entertainment brand spanning films, television series and trading card games.