Japan Toy Sales Top $7-Trillion For First Time

Japan's toy market topped 1 trillion yen ($7 billion) for the first time in the year ended March 2023, driven in part by solid demand for goods of Japanese anime characters like "Pokemon" from foreign tourists, an industry body told Kyodo News.

Photo Insert: Pokemon remains a force with which to be reckoned in toy sales.

Sales of card games, stuffed toys, model vehicles, and other types of toys totaled 952.5 billion yen, up 6.7% from a year earlier, said the Japan Toy Association.

Sales of "capsule toys," or miniature toys sold in plastic capsules from vending machines, amounted to 61 billion yen, up 35.6%.

Sales growth was also led by toys for adults such as model train sets, offsetting the negative effect of Japan's aging population. Led by cards of Pokemon or "One Piece" anime, sales of playing and trading cards totaled 234.9 billion yen, up 32.2%.

Foreign tourists were also attracted to Pokemon figures and stuffed toys. "We do not have definite data on foreign tourists, but we hear from the sales floors that they are doing well," said Daisuke Fujii, an official at the association.

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