Pokémon Center MEGA Tokyo To Re-Open in September Following Fatal Attack on Employee

The Pokémon Company has officially announced that the “Pokémon Center MEGA TOKYO” will reopen its doors this September following a tragic incident earlier in the year.

The flagship retail destination and the adjacent “Pikachu Sweets by Pokémon Cafe” have remained indefinitely closed since a fatal stabbing occurred inside the store, which is located in Tokyo’s Sunshine City shopping complex, on March 26, 2026.

Sunshine City serves as a major commercial and entertainment hub featuring indoor theme parks and an aquarium, drawing huge crowds of international and domestic visitors on a daily basis.

This tragic act of violence in such a prominent location came as a massive shock to the local community and the wider fandom.

The Pokémon Company has confirmed they are actively preparing to resume operations in the prominent Ikebukuro district location while implementing critical changes to the physical facility.

Reopening plans include partial renovations to the store layout alongside significantly strengthened safety protocols to ensure a secure environment for both employees and visiting fans.

The company expressed deep gratitude for the continued patience of the community, noting that all other regional retail branches and the online storefront have maintained normal operations during this extended closure period.

The massive family-friendly retail space was suddenly disrupted on a Thursday evening when a male suspect believed to be in his 20s violently attacked a female employee of a similar age with a bladed weapon.

Following the sudden assault, the attacker turned the weapon on himself, inflicting fatal wounds to his own neck before authorities could intervene.

Both individuals were quickly transported to a nearby hospital for emergency medical treatment, but were unfortunately later pronounced dead.

It was later revealed that Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department officials had previously received reports regarding the two individuals before the attack took place.

The fact that police had been previously involved with the victim and offender due to alleged stalking and harassment saw the authorities come under increased scrutiny, as victims of these types of crimes in Japan often feel that the police do not approach reports in a way that deters the behaviour from continuing or escalating.

Following the tragedy, the store was indefinitely closed to ensure law enforcement could carry out investigations unhampered.

The closure was also implemented to allow time for essential mental health care for the staff members present on the day of the incident, and for those who knew the victim who were not at work on the day, but would similarly have been affected by the death of a colleague.

As the investigation into the incident is now complete to a degree that law enforcement no longer requires access to the store, The Pokémon Company has made a formal announcement regarding the store’s future in terms of the measures they are taking to ensure employees feel safe returning to work, and to assure customers that it will be safe to visit the store when it re-opens:

“Thank you very much for your continued patronage of the Pokémon Center.

We deeply apologize for the great concern caused by the incident that occurred on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at Pokémon Center MEGA TOKYO inside Sunshine City in Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo.

We are currently preparing to reopen Pokémon Center MEGA TOKYO and Pikachu Sweets by Pokémon Cafe at the same location in September 2026.

Upon reopening, we will carry out partial renovations to Pokémon Center MEGA TOKYO, while also strengthening initiatives to ensure the safety of our employees and creating an environment where our customers can visit with peace of mind.

Please note that other Pokémon Center locations and the Pokémon Center Online storefront are continuing to operate normally.

We appreciate your understanding as we take some time before reopening.

The Pokémon Company / The Pokémon Center Company”

The Pokémon Center MEGA TOKYO and Pikachu Sweets by Pokémon Cafe are currently scheduled to resume operations in September 2026, with the specific date to be announced closer to the time.