What was The Pokémon Company originally called when it was established?

The Pokémon Company was originally established as Pokémon Center Co., Ltd.

The company was founded in 1998 to manage Pokémon merchandise stores and related business operations. Its original name reflected the Pokémon Center retail concept, which was becoming an important part of the franchise after the first store opened in Tokyo.

The organization later changed its name to The Pokémon Company in 2000. It became responsible for coordinating licensing, marketing, media production, and other franchise activities across the Pokémon business. Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak are the three companies associated with ownership and management of the franchise in Japan.

This history creates an easy naming trap. Pokémon Center is still used for the retail chain, while The Pokémon Company is the broader corporate organization. Pokémon USA was a later regional organization created for international business and is not the original corporate name. The name Pokémon Center Co., Ltd. belongs to the company’s early period before its 2000 renaming.