Pikachu, wearing a nightcap, visited the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Tokyo on June 26 along with Snorlax, a sleep-loving Pokemon character known as Kabigon in Japan.

Health minister Fukuoka Takamaro appointed the two mascots as sleep ambassadors and presented them with sashes.

The move is part of the government's efforts to encourage people to improve their sleeping habits.

The daily average sleep that people in Japan get is 7 hours and 42 minutes, the lowest among OECD countries.

The health ministry chose the Pokemon characters as its sleep ambassadors in the hope of getting people to acquire good slumber routines from a young age.

Officials said Pikachu and Snorlax will take part in events related to sleep and engage in efforts to raise awareness about the importance of getting quality shut-eye.