Pokemon Fans Gather in Yokohama for World Championhips

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:57 JST, August 13, 2023

YOKOHAMA — The 2023 Pokemon World Championships is currently underway in Yokohama, with players from about 50 countries and regions competing in four events, including “Pokemon GO.”

The three-day extravaganza ends Sunday.

The 18th edition of the championships is being held in Asia for the first time. The 2022 event was held in London.

The Pokemon Co. President Tsunekazu Ishihara, speaking at the opening ceremony, said “I’m really looking forward to seeing who will be crowned world champion.”

A 13-year-old from Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, who won the junior league in the Trading Card Game event at last year’s championships, said, “Even if you don’t speak the same language, you can have fun with people from all over the world, which is part of the appeal of the game. This is the first time the event has been held in Japan, so I want to do my best.”