A Pokémon card game event at a shrine honouring Japan's war dead has been cancelled following a backlash in China. The Pokémon Company apologised for advertising the event, organised by a certified third party, through its official website, and said it should not have been held in the first place. The event was due to be held on Saturday at the Yasukuni Shrine, near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, which commemorates those who died in several wars including convicted war criminals. The blunder comes at a moment of worsening relations between China and Japan over the stance of the latter's new prime minister on Taiwan.
The Yasukuni Shrine honours Japanese soldiers who died in a number of wars, including both Sino-Japanese wars and the Pacific theatre of World War Two. But the enshrinement of the names of more than 1,000 convicted war criminals among the roughly 2.5 million people it honours has long made it a controversial site for nations that were subject to harsh treatment under Japanese occupation.
Brands that disregard history and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will ultimately be abandoned, remarked the People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's official news site, following the discovery of the event. They stressed that relevant enterprises must take social responsibility and not trivialize historical weight in the name of entertainment. Meanwhile, the state-run Global Times commended Chinese netizens for criticizing the event, stating that hosting activities at such a site is a blatant affront to historical truths.
The Pokémon Company acknowledged its mistake, stating the event was mistakenly posted on its official site due to a lack of due diligence. Following public outrage, the event was swiftly cancelled, and the company expressed sincere apologies. The firm plans to strengthen its approval process to avoid similar missteps in the future.
This incident occurs in the context of rising tensions between Japan and China, particularly linked to Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's assertive stance on Taiwan, claiming the self-governing island as part of its territory. In light of this diplomatic strain, both governments have advised against their citizens traveling to one another's countries, further complicating cultural exchanges like Pokémon's card game.
The Pokémon franchise, launched in 1996 as a video game, has evolved into a worldwide media phenomenon, encompassing movies, TV shows, and trading cards.
The Yasukuni Shrine honours Japanese soldiers who died in a number of wars, including both Sino-Japanese wars and the Pacific theatre of World War Two. But the enshrinement of the names of more than 1,000 convicted war criminals among the roughly 2.5 million people it honours has long made it a controversial site for nations that were subject to harsh treatment under Japanese occupation.
Brands that disregard history and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will ultimately be abandoned, remarked the People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's official news site, following the discovery of the event. They stressed that relevant enterprises must take social responsibility and not trivialize historical weight in the name of entertainment. Meanwhile, the state-run Global Times commended Chinese netizens for criticizing the event, stating that hosting activities at such a site is a blatant affront to historical truths.
The Pokémon Company acknowledged its mistake, stating the event was mistakenly posted on its official site due to a lack of due diligence. Following public outrage, the event was swiftly cancelled, and the company expressed sincere apologies. The firm plans to strengthen its approval process to avoid similar missteps in the future.
This incident occurs in the context of rising tensions between Japan and China, particularly linked to Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's assertive stance on Taiwan, claiming the self-governing island as part of its territory. In light of this diplomatic strain, both governments have advised against their citizens traveling to one another's countries, further complicating cultural exchanges like Pokémon's card game.
The Pokémon franchise, launched in 1996 as a video game, has evolved into a worldwide media phenomenon, encompassing movies, TV shows, and trading cards.
