Sales of official Tokyo Olympics merchandise such as badges and keyrings have been surging as Japan's medal haul grows, with fans taking risks against COVID-19 infections by queuing outside stores.
The traffic surge even made the official online store temporarily inaccessible.
Popular goods such as pin badges and mugs quickly sold out in an official shop in Tokyo's Shinjuku district after the games got underway.
As Japan's gold medal count increased, TV programming became dominated by Olympic competitions, further stoking interest in the merchandise.
According to a store in Osaka, keyrings with pictograms, especially of basketball and judo, are among the most popular goods, as performers posing to match the pictograms during the opening ceremony garnered global attention.
The Osaka store's manager said he is hopeful that if Japan wins more medals, the outlet will attract more customers.


Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets
Indonesian Stocks Plunge as MSCI Downgrade Risk Sparks Investor Exodus
U.S. and El Salvador Sign Landmark Critical Minerals Agreement to Boost Investment and Trade
Trump Threatens Stadium Deal Over Washington Commanders Name
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas
U.S. Plans $115 Million Counter-Drone Investment to Secure FIFA World Cup and Major National Events
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons
Asian Stocks Waver as Trump Signals Fed Pick, Shutdown Deal and Tech Earnings Stir Markets
Trump to Host UFC Event at White House on His 80th Birthday
Trump Attends Super Bowl Amid Cheers, Boos, and Political Divide
Trump Draws Cheers at Ryder Cup as U.S. Trails Europe After Opening Day
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes
US Reviewing Visa Denial for Venezuelan Little League Team Barred from World Series
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years
Indonesia Stocks Face Fragile Sentiment After MSCI Warning and Market Rout
Extreme heat, flooding, wildfires – Colorado’s formerly incarcerated people on the hazards they faced behind bars 



