World Riichi launches publishing arm and seals international mahjong pact

World Riichi is using its U.S. tour this week to unveil a publishing division and a new cross-organization tournament framework with four Japanese pro mahjong groups. The moves open translated strategy books to global readers and create a path for broader international access to elite competition.

Why it matters: - World Riichi is trying to change how professional riichi mahjong reaches players outside Japan. - The new publishing arm expands access to Japanese strategy books in English. - The international accord could loosen long-standing barriers that kept top Japanese tournaments closed to outside players and even to some domestic peers.

What happened: - World Riichi said the M.LEAGUE x World Riichi U.S. Tour begins this week in the United States. - The tour is billed as the first multi-city North American tour for the world’s premier professional competitive mahjong players. - World Riichi announced World Riichi Publishing, a new literary division. - World Riichi also announced a multi-organization international tournament contract with Japan Professional Mahjong League, Nihon Pro Mahjong Association, Mahjong Union and Real Mahjong Unit. - The agreement is set to be marked by a live signing ceremony from New York City on June 30 at 9:30 a.m. EDT, streamed on the official Japan Professional Mahjong YouTube channel and the official World Riichi YouTube channel.

The details: - World Riichi Publishing is debuting with English-translated editions of two Japanese strategy books originally published by Mynavi Publishing. - The first title is Riichi Mahjong: The Essential Playbook by Kotaro Uchikawa of EX FU-RINKAZAN and the Japan Professional Mahjong League. - The second title is Riichi Mahjong: Balance Your Game by Yoshihiro Matsumoto of Shibuya ABEMAS and Nihon Pro Mahjong Association. - Limited physical copies will be available for on-site purchase during the tour while supplies last. - The books will mainly launch as digital ebooks in the first week of July. - Tournament attendees and competitors can win a three-book strategy bundle that includes the two new translations and Jenn Barr’s Riichi Mahjong: The Only Way to Play. - World Riichi said it already secured rights from Mynavi Publishing for additional Japanese mahjong titles to be released in the coming months. - The four-organization agreement is designed to allow cross-organization participation in prestigious pro tournaments, including leagues and non-open events that were previously inaccessible to global players and, in some cases, to players across organizations. - Redragon is the official broadcast and gear sponsor for the New York City finale on June 30. - Redragon will supply broadcast-grade headsets for the commentary team during the M.LEAGUE vs World Riichi Professional Mahjong Exhibition Match livestream. - Redragon is also backing the Eastside Showdown, a side event running alongside the exhibition matches, with premium anime keyboard and mouse setups.

Between the lines: - The publishing push gives World Riichi a new business line tied directly to the tour’s audience. - The tournament pact suggests a move toward a more unified professional scene, which could increase international visibility and competition pathways. - The New York signing ceremony and livestream plan point to a media strategy built to present the agreement as a milestone beyond the live event itself.

What's next: - The tour starts June 26 in Las Vegas with an official press conference and media launch event at Bluebird Mahjong Studio. - A welcome reception for tournament ticket-holders is scheduled for June 26 at HyperX Arena. - The main tournament runs June 27–28 in Las Vegas. - A Las Vegas after-hours VIP event on June 27 is sold out. - NYC after-hours fan meet-and-greet on June 29 is sold out. - Final exhibition matches and the Redragon-sponsored livestream are set for June 30 in New York City. - The Eastside Showdown on June 30 is also sold out. - Registration remains open for players, and World Riichi is directing fans to its tour website and YouTube channel for tickets and livestreams.

The bottom line: - World Riichi is pairing a U.S. tour with two structural bets: publishing Japanese strategy for global readers and widening access to elite pro mahjong competition.