It’s no surprise that, right now, it’s a hard time to get some retail-priced Pokémon TCG products. I haven’t been able to get any Pokémon cards for the last few months, and while I was fortunate enough to get some 30th Celebration packs last month, that was the first time since Perfect Order. I used to love opening Japanese packs, especially, but retailers in the UK have increased prices far beyond what they used to be, and it won’t be getting better now that The Pokémon Company in Japan is raising the manufacturer's retail price for some booster packs.
According to the recent statement, those buying Japanese Pokémon TCG packs will have to pay 230 yen for five-card booster packs from products released in May 2027 onwards. That’s roughly £1 / $1.45, which isn’t too bad, but it’s the second consecutive price increase since May 2026, which saw packs go from 180 yen to 200 yen. That’s a 27.8% increase in two years.
Based on the translation, The Pokémon Company suggests that the change in MSRP is due to “raw material costs and other factors”, while also stating that, outside of booster packs, “prices will be set individually for each product.” The other factors aren’t clear, but according to rumours, Japan is also struggling to keep up with demand.
You may be thinking, “Well, that’s Japan. Why does it matter?” And that would be a good question. However, a lot of Western collectors like buying Japanese cards, and of course, an increase in price means that retailers overseas will have to pay extra, which means buying Japanese packs or booster boxes will become more expensive. Considering prices have already climbed since before the boom in 2024, it’s making Japanese products more unaffordable for a range of collectors.
Hopefully, this will be the only price increase for a little while after May 2027. At the very least, it doesn’t affect existing products, so if you manage to find some cheap packs while you’re in Japan, getting the Delta Reign chase cards will still be pretty affordable. Well, to be honest, it will still be affordable next year—but at least you’re saving some money.
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