Pokémon has cancelled a card game event planned at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine after strong backlash from China. The event was scheduled for Saturday but faced criticism because the shrine honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals. The Pokémon Company said it "should not have been held in the first place" and apologised for the mistake. The shrine remembers about 2.5 million war dead from several conflicts, including victims and soldiers from Sino-Japanese wars and World War Two. Many in China see the shrine as a symbol of Japan's wartime aggression because it also honors over 1,000 convicted war criminals. The controversy came amid worsening Japan-China relations over Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan. Takaichi suggested Japan might use its self-defense forces if China attacked Taiwan, causing tensions to flare. China's official media slammed Pokémon's event. The People's Daily warned, "Brands that disregard history and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will ultimately be abandoned." The Global Times praised Chinese netizens for speaking out, saying holding such events "constitute an open affront to historical truth." Pokémon explained the event was "mistakenly posted" by a certified third party on its official website, causing the company to cancel it quickly. They promised to "thoroughly review and strengthen" their approval process to avoid similar errors. This incident arrived during a time of cultural and political tensions. Both China and Japan urged their citizens to avoid travel to each other’s countries. Also, two popular Japanese films were postponed in China. Since 1996, Pokémon has grown from a video game into a global franchise with TV shows, films, and trading card games. This cancellation highlights how political sensitivities can impact entertainment events.