Olympic characters face stiff competition in mascot-mad Japan

Name: Olympic characters face stiff competition in mascot-mad Japan
Uploaded: 2021-07-21T15:48:28+00:00
Description: Tokyo 2020's cutesy Olympic mascots are plastered across the host city, but they have some serious competition in mascot-mad Japan, where cuddly characters promote everything from prisons to health screenings. In the land of Hello Kitty and Pokémon, adorable creatures give a friendly face to private businesses and public institutions alike, and the most successful have full-on celebrity status.

Issued on: 21/07/2021 - 18:15Modified: 29/07/2021 - 19:42

Mascot-mad Japan, TOKYO 2021 © Juliette Montilly - AFP

Tokyo 2020's cutesy Olympic mascots are plastered across the host city, but they have some serious competition in mascot-mad Japan, where cuddly characters promote everything from prisons to health screenings. In the land of Hello Kitty and Pokémon, adorable creatures give a friendly face to private businesses and public institutions alike, and the most successful have full-on celebrity status.