What was the first Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game set called?

The first Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game set was called 1st Starter & Expansion Pack.

It was released in Japan on October 20, 1996, several months after the original Pokémon video games debuted. The set is commonly treated as the Japanese equivalent of the English Pokémon Base Set, although the names, packaging, card numbering, and release details differ between markets.

The Japanese set featured Pokémon from the first generation and formed the foundation of the collectible card game. Its cards were published by Media Factory, while the English-language release was later produced by Wizards of the Coast and launched in the United States in 1999.

Collectors sometimes call every early Pokémon card release “Base Set,” but that term most specifically refers to the English set and related international editions. The Japanese product’s official title is 1st Starter & Expansion Pack, making it the earliest core Pokémon TCG set in Japan.