Japan studies regulation of high‑value Pokémon TCG market amid store robbery

Japanese lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have formed a panel to examine possible rules for the Pokémon Trading Card Game market, which has surged to an estimated ¥338 trillion (about $2.1 billion) and seen individual cards sell for millions of dollars. The panel, led by legislator Seiji Kihara, is concerned about counterfeit cards, price manipulation, and the potential use of valuable cards for money‑laundering. No concrete regulation has been adopted yet, and the group plans to consult manufacturers and industry participants before issuing recommendations.

Separately, a specialty shop in Japan that sells Pokémon and One Piece trading cards was robbed, with thieves stealing a large portion of its inventory. Surveillance footage did not identify the culprits, prompting the store to offer a ¥1 million (≈ €6 000) reward for the capture of the thieves and ¥50 000 (≈ €300) for information leading to their arrest.