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Japan asks US to stop using Mario, Pokémon and other game imagery in official posts

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked the US government to stop using images and clips from Japanese videogame franchises in official social-media posts. US agencies and the White House used game footage and characters across 2025–2026 — examples include a DHS montage with Pokémon clips, a Customs and Border Patrol dancing Pikachu video, and a White House tweet using Wii Sports footage tied to strikes on Iran. The Pokémon Company said those uses were unauthorized and distanced itself from the political messaging, while DHS said it would not stop. Japan's complaint focuses on copyright infringement and potential damage to global brands such as Mario and Pokémon.

• Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the Trump Administration to cease using images from Japanese videogame franchises in official US social-media posts.
• In 2025–2026 US use cases included a September DHS montage featuring Pokémon animated-series clips, a Customs and Border Patrol video showing a dancing Pikachu, and an April White House tweet using Wii Sports footage linked to strikes on Iran.
• The Pokémon Company stated the uses were unauthorized and unrelated to its mission; DHS responded that it had no intention of stopping the posts.
• Japan's complaint emphasizes unauthorized copyright use and the risk of reputational harm to globally recognized IP like Mario and Pokémon.