Japan's Pokémon Card Pop‑up Stores Mandate Facial Recognition

Five temporary Pokémon Card pop‑up stores will open across Japan from July 31 to August 16, 2026 to celebrate the release of the Pokémon TCG Mega expansion Storm Emerald. The locations – AEON Mall Natori, Chofu PARCO, AEON Mall Higashiura, AEON Mall Hiroshima Fuchu and AEON Mall Chikushino – will sell cards, merchandise and host free tutorials.

All shoppers aged elementary‑school age or older must undergo a mandatory facial‑recognition scan before entering or receiving a numbered queue ticket. The system limits each person to one store entry and one ticket per day; repeat scans trigger an alert and deny access. Preschool children are exempt but must be accompanied by a guardian. Data collected is stored securely for an unspecified period before deletion. The company describes the technology as a safety measure to prevent scalping and enforce fair purchasing limits.