Yuru-kyara competition ‘lost original purpose’ after aggressive campaigning by prefectures

A cuddly fairy on a mission to “deliver happiness” to her disaster-hit hometown has been crowned Japan’s most popular mascot, but unseemly rivalry among competitors has forced organisers to announce that this year’s contest would be the last.

Takata-no-Yumechan defeated almost 400 other yuru-kyara – “gentle characters” – to take the title at the mascot grand prix in the north-eastern prefecture of Iwate on Sunday, narrowly beating Yurunakin, a dog mascot from Osaka prefecture, and Tsurugon, a dragon-like character from Saitama prefecture.