Japanese game company SEGA has opened a permanent official store at a Beijing shopping mall. Japanese media report that, although Japan-China relations are cooling, Japanese IPs remain popular. China is a key market for Japanese gaming and entertainment giants, who are opening new stores one after another.
Last Saturday (July 18), SEGA opened a store at Chaoyang Joy City in Beijing. According to Beijing Youth Online, this is SEGA’s second permanent official store in China, and the first comprehensive flagship store in North China, specially designed for fans of games and ACG (anime, comics, and games) culture. The report notes that SEGA is a globally renowned video game company, without mentioning Japan.
Photos shared by netizens show crowds of consumers on opening day, with long lines; some people waited an hour just to check out.
Kyodo News reports that despite the cooling of Japan-China relations, Japanese IPs remain popular. Before the store even opened, more than 100 fans arrived to line up to purchase merchandise from popular games like Sonic and Persona.
Kyodo News reports that despite the cooling of Japan-China relations, Japanese IPs remain popular. Before the store even opened, more than 100 fans arrived to line up to purchase merchandise from popular games like Sonic and Persona.
The article also mentions that among major game companies, Japanese developer Square Enix also opened a new store in China this year. Each company is planning to boost brand influence by increasing contact with consumers.
SEGA’s first store was opened in Shanghai in May 2025. SEGA’s core business includes game development, publishing, and IP operations. Its well-known games and characters include Sonic the Hedgehog, Persona, and Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA, among others.