Media & EntertainmentA Pokemon seller's travels: Around Asia in 40 days
Franchise has become one of Japan's highest-profile intellectual properties
Susumu Fukunaga, corporate officer of The Pokemon Co., values face-to-face relationships with customers above all else. (Photo by Makoto Okada)
NOBUO NAGAI, Editor-in-chief, Nikkei MJ
TOKYO -- The Pokemon franchise, which started as a computer game and has expanded to anime and character goods, has become one of Japan's highest-profile intellectual properties. That keeps Susumu Fukunaga busy as he travels across Asia launching IP business projects.