Which company published the original Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game?

Media Factory published the original Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game.

The first Japanese card release appeared on October 20, 1996, as the 1st Starter & Expansion Pack. Media Factory handled publication in Japan, while Creatures Inc. was involved in developing the game. The cards expanded Pokémon beyond the Game Boy and gave players a physical way to collect and battle with Pokémon.

The publisher changed for international markets. In the United States, Wizards of the Coast published the English Pokémon TCG, beginning with the Base Set's nationwide release on January 9, 1999. Wizards was already known for Magic: The Gathering, another influential collectible card game, which is why it is often incorrectly named as the publisher of the original Japanese release.

Nintendo is also frequently offered as an answer because it published the video games and owned a stake in the wider franchise. However, the Japanese card game's original publisher was Media Factory. The Pokémon Company's later involvement in the TCG came after the early Wizards of the Coast period.