Image via Pokémon Center Staff Voice website
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The official website for the Pokémon Center retail chain announced on Friday that the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo will reopen around September. The Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo store and the nearby Pikachu Sweets café inside Ikebukuro’s Sunshine City shopping complex remain temporarily closed, after a worker was stabbed inside the store on the evening of March 26. The woman, identified as 21-year-old part-time sales clerk Moe Harukawa, died.
ANN’s staff confirmed that the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo has had security guards stationed around the venue since March 27. Other Pokémon Centers (which have remain opened) have stationed security guards, particularly in their register area.
The man who stabbed Harukawa, identified as 26-year-old Taiki Hirokawa, reportedly also stabbed himself after stabbing Harukawa, and also died. Police investigations found that Hirokawa was Harukawa’s ex-boyfriend, and Harukawa informed police in December she was the victim of a stalker, stating her ex-boyfriend was following her.
Hirokawa was arrested in December on suspicion of violating anti-stalking law and then again in January on allegations of voyeurism. Before his release in January, police officers had Harukawa stay at a relative’s house and installed security cameras at her residence.
Nearly all events being held at Pokémon Center stores across Japan were canceled for the entire month of April “due to circumstances.” The cancellations applied to the Pokémon Centers in Sapporo, Tohoku, Tokyo DX, Shibuya, Skytree Town, Tokyo Bay, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Osaka, Osaka DX, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Fukuoka, and Okinawa.
Exceptions to the cancellations included the “‘Pokémon GO’ Division Pokémon Center Qualifying Tournament” and “City League” events. The tournament underwent some operational changes. The on-site events were not broadcast and spectators were not allowed at the events. Planned gifts for spectators were also canceled.
Sources: Pokémon Center’s website via Hachima Kikō
