Japan eyes regulation for booming, high-risk Pokémon card market

The Japanese government is establishing a taskforce to address the rapidly expanding and largely unregulated Pokémon card trading market. Soaring prices have fueled concerns about scalping, counterfeiting, and money laundering, prompting official intervention.

“

To give a recent example [from the store], a well-preserved Pikachu card from the very first booster pack was sold for about 10 million yen ($89,000).

Watanabe Sho, from Tokyo's Hareruya2 specialty card store, notes a dramatic increase in interest over the past five to six years. He shared an example of a rare, well-preserved Pikachu card from the first booster pack selling for approximately $89,000. The store attracts both local and international customers, with many tourists seeking Japanese-language cards.

“

I wish they were cheaper because I want to collect all of them.

However, the escalating values are pricing out many fans. "I think the expensive cards are all pretty ridiculous," said 20-year-old June, an American tourist. "I wish they were cheaper because I want to collect all of them." Even recently released sets are being resold at significantly higher prices, with a new Japanese set costing $200 per box shortly after its release.

“

The new set that just came out in Japan a few weeks ago is already $200 for a box.

Lawyer Fukui Kensaku highlights "reckless speculation" and "financial ruin" risks for ordinary people. He also pointed to issues like card swapping, counterfeiting, and theft. The market's volatility is further underscored by incidents like YouTuber Logan Paul losing nearly $5 million on a box of fake cards, despite his own record-breaking $22.6 million sale of an ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator card. Fukui also warned of the potential for the trade to be "exploited for illicit overseas money transfers, such as money laundering."

“

reckless speculation