>>56551980Dragonite is an evolution of Dratini and Dragonair and those two are first found in the wild in Dragon's Den and Route 45, Johto cares a lot more about dragons than Kanto does, exceedingly prideful trainers litter Clair's Gym and Dragon's Den, Clair needing to be threatened to give up her badge after being beaten and the first guy you see in Dragon's Den telling you to gtfo immediately, gaijin.
Same reason why Tyranitar and Pupitar are also Johto Pokémon, they used to be Larvitar and those can only be found in Mt. Silver, which the town map considers to be a part of Johto rather than Kanto.
