Pokémon Center megastores across Japan shutting down indefinitely because of coronavirus

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Japan's Pokémon Center megastores are pretty amazing. Stocked with just about every plushie, toy, and trinket you could imagine for the Pokémon franchise, the happy and excited atmosphere inside is on par with a visit to a theme park, as pretty much everyone inside has a serious love for several species of Pocket Monsters.

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Sadly, though, the fun will be shutting down on a huge scale, as the Pokémon Company will be closing 14 Pokémon Center locations across Japan, as well as seven smaller Pokémon Stores, for a temporary but currently indeterminable time. The reason, once again, is the continuing nemesis of human joy, the coronavirus, as infections have recently surged to unprecedented numbers for Japan.

The closures, which include all Pokémon Centers and Stores in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, and Kyoto, will come almost immediately. The announcement was made on Thursday, and the 21 affected stores will be closed starting from Saturday.

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Pokémon Center megastores across Japan shutting down indefinitely because of coronavirus

Humanity’s elemental weakness to the coronavirus leads to near-immediate temporary closures of almost every Pokémon Center and Store in the country.

soranews24.com

Close the Pokemon Center if old.

 

[MikeProtagonist]

Unfortunately that means they will be absolutely packed with people until then.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

Unfortunately that means they will be absolutely packed with people until then.

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But then they will be empty like with that heatwave that one time...

 

[Liam Allen-Miller]

For a sec I understood the title as "permanently" and I got sad! Hope I can still visit one again in the future when Japan is... better.

 

[Billdrew]

Really hoping they manage to get more vaccinated this year, as we've had a trip to Japan planned since last March, just waiting to rebook… Praying we get to go in spring next year and things are open again!

 

[kodax_shc]

Pokemon Centers are amazing. Each one has it's own identity and there are always cool promotions going on. That being said this is the right move. These stores are always very busy.

 

[MobileSuitReactor]

Glad I went to some when I did. Maybe they can take a good chunk of the store stock and have a fire sale online.

 

[Curler]

Also related news in Japan that aren't really being made public. It's... not good :/ Just shows how dire the situation is there right now.

Director Takashi Watanabe: At Least One Studio Lockdown Due to COVID Outbreak

Watanabe stated that there was an "implicit gag order" but he had heard about the studio closure.

www.animenewsnetwork.com

 

[UnluckyKate]

I've been to two Pokemon center:
- the one in Sendai, open to bring joy to people after the great tohoku earthquake. It's a cool store
- the one in ikebukuro on a sunday. It was fucking hell. That entire day wass hell. Don't go shopping on a hot sunday fucking hell