Thanks for the tag @pokecollectoramy .
In general, Japanese sets are indeed reversed of other languages: unlimited edition cards are rarer and shorter printed than 1st edition ones. For some sets, both can still be found without too much trouble, despite unlimited edition having a shorter print run, like most sets in the EX and DP eras for example. Still, there are quite a few Japanese sets for which unlimited is much rarer than 1st edition, and in some cases unlimited edition ones are almost non-existent and pictures have yet to even be shown of most cards in the set. The only exception would be the No Rarity Base Set, which is shorter printed and rarer than the print run with rarity symbol for the Japanese Base Set.
To globally go over each set:
Original & Neo eras:
- 1st Starter Pack & Expansion Pack (Base Set): these won’t have the 1st edition stamps. Instead, there is a print run without rarity symbols at the bottom left, and one with. The one without, better known as the No Rarity Base Set, was the very first Japanese set printed, and can be considered the 1st edition print run of the Japanese Base Set. In this case, the No Rarity Base Set is indeed rarer and shorter printed than the print run with rarity symbols. So this set is similar as in English, where the first set that was printed (no rarity / 1st edition) is rarer than the print runs of the same set later on (with rarity symbols / unlimited edition).
- Pokémon Jungle - Darkness, and to Light… (Jungle - Neo Destiny): all these Japanese sets were only printed with rarity symbol, so there was only one print run version.
E-Series era:
- E1 Base Expansion Pack (Expedition Base Set): this is a pretty key example where you can find quite a few 1st editions, and almost no unlimited edition cards. Some more info about those can be found in this thread. The unlimited edition E1 Ponyta came with a magazine, so isn’t really rare. But the other ones are all extremely hard to find. The Pichu seems to have popped up the mos thus far, but a lot of them haven’t popped up at all. Supposedly these were part of the randomized Pokémon-e Starter Deck, and only around 50 were given at a certain event. But, even then it doesn’t explain some of the cards, like the Charizard or Alakazam. Most info surrounding this unlimited edition E1 set is still surrounded in mystery, but they are without a doubt one of the hardest Japanese set cards to find.
- E2-E5: The following E-series sets are also harder to find in unlimited edition than 1st edition, as almost all Japanese sets. But they can still be found. They’re rare and short-printed, but not extremely so.
- Pokémon VS: This set was only printed in 1st edition, and no unlimited edition is available (except for the Pryce’s Lapras a.f.a.i.k., which was also released as a promo in unlimited edition)
- Pokémon Web: This set is printed in both 1st and unlimited edition in about equal quantities. Unlimited edition is probably slightly harder to find, but not too much from what I’ve seen.
EX era:
- ADV Expansion Pack - Offense and Defense of the Furthest Ends (EX Ruby & Sapphire - EX Dragon Frontiers): From what I’ve seen, the 1st and unlimited edition print runs of these Japanese sets can both be found in general. I’ve seen a somewhat equal distribution between 1st and unlimited edition cards in general for most of these sets (although not sure if it applies to all of them).
DP era:
- World Champions Pack (EX Power Keepers): This set was first printed in English as the last set in the EX era, and later in the DP era for Japan. This is just like E1 one of those sets were unlimited edition cards are extremely hard to find. As I mentioned, I collect Pikachu and Seviper cards. I’ve personally only seen the Pikachu four distinct times, the Battle Frontier trainer card just once, and the Seviper card never yet - which is one of just two cards missing from my Seviper collection to fully complete it. Unlimited edition WCP cards are extremely short-printed, on a set that of itself already didn’t had a pretty big print run, since it was only available for purchase for about two weeks in Japan, and could only be ordered online by Japanese TCG players.
- Space-Time Creation - Intense Fight in the Destroyed Sky (Diamond & Pearl - Stormfront): Just like with the EX era sets, you can find both 1st and unlimited edition cards without too much trouble, with a somewhat equal distribution.
Platinum / DPt era:
- Galactic’s Conquest - Advent of Arceus (Platinum - Arceus): Similar as the previous: both can be found in somewhat equal distribution between 1st and unlimited edition cards.
HGSS / LEGEND era:
- L1 HeartGold & SoulSilver Collection (HeartGold & SoulSilver): For years I’ve been searching for even a picture of the unlimited edition L1 Pikachu without finding it. After collecting Pikachu cards for over 4 years I, and most other people I knew who had been searching for these, were convinced this set was only printed in 1st edition and not in unlimited. Until rather recently someone posted pictures of some unlimited edition L1 cards here on the forum. That Totodile and Cyndaquil in that picture, as well this Chikorita, and the LEGEND cards, are the only unlimited edition L1 cards I’ve ever seen. Without these, I would have been convinced they simply didn’t exist. I still don’t know if more are out there besides these three starters and the LEGEND cards. Maybe those three starters were in a special promo release. But unlimited edition L1 cards are without a doubt the rarest unlimited edition Japanese cards that are out there.
- L2 Reviving Legends & L3 Clash at the Summit (Unleashed - Triumphant): These are just like E2-E5 much harder to find in unlimited than in 1st edition, but both can still be found. I know @supersaiyanampharos collects them, and has already been able to find quite a few of them over the years.
- Lost Link: This set is only printed in unlimited edition, without any 1st edition print run.
BW & XY eras:
- Black & White Collection - Megalo Cannon (Black & White - Plasma Blast): Just like E2-E5 and L2-L3, the BW and XY era sets can be found in both 1st and unlimited edition, but the unlimited editions are much rarer and shorter printed. For most of these sets, the unlimited edition print run was also printed 2-3 years after the set was initially released in 1st edition. I remember at first we thought XY era sets simply weren’t printed in unlimited edition, but a few years later they could be found after all. I have some unlimited editions of almost all BW and XY era Japanese sets in my collection, but only a couple and most cards I have from that era are in 1st edition. There are a few sets I don’t have in unlimited edition, so not 100% sure if they are out there, but I’m pretty sure they are.
- BW4 Dark Rush (Dark Explorers in English) is the only exception for the BW and XY era, which is only available in 1st edition without unlimited edition print run a.f.a.i.k. (Although I could be mistaken, and it’s just very hard to find - since it’s odd only this single set would be left out).
- CP1 Magma Gang VS Aqua Gang: Double Crisis - CP6 Expansion Pack 20th Anniversary (Double Crisis - XY Evolutions): For the XY era are one of the exceptions are the CP sets. Those were also only printed in 1st edition, without any unlimited edition print run.
- The Dragon Selection (Dragon Vault in English) was also only printed in 1st edition.
- 20th Anniversary Starter Pack (Generations): Another exception for the XY era is the Japanese Generations set, which was only printed in unlimited edition without 1st edition print run.
SM & SWSH eras:
- Starting with the Sun & Moon eras, Japanese cards were no longer printed in 1st edition. All cards in these eras are only available in unlimited edition.
Hope that helps. In general: some sets only have a 1st or unlimited edition print run instead of both; E1, WCP, and L1 are extremely rare and short-printed in unlimited edition; E2-E5, L2 & L3, and almost all BW and XY era sets are hard to find in unlimited edition as well, although easier than the earlier three sets mentioned; almost all other Japanese sets will have a somewhat equal distribution between 1st and unlimited edition print runs; and only the Base Set is the exception, where the no rarity (1st edition) print run is rarer and shorter-printed than the one with rarity symbols (unlimited edition).
Greetz,
Quuador