Pokemon cancels card game event at Yasukuni Shrine after China protests

A Pokemon card game event due to be held on Saturday at Japan's controversial Yasukuni Shrine was called off following outcry in China. The event has since been removed from its official website.

The Pokemon Company, an affiliate of game maker Nintendo, offered apologies in both Japanese and Chinese on Friday and explained the event was privately planned by a certified Pokemon card player for children.

The company said it "should not have been held to begin with," but the notice was shared by mistake due to "a lack of understanding."

Earlier, furious comments poured in China's mainstream social media platforms slamming the choice of the venue, as the notorious Shinto shrine honoured many of Japan's convicted war criminals during the Second World War.

State media People's Daily also posted, "Brands that disregard history and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will ultimately be abandoned by the market."