ASIA / PACIFIC
August 1, 2016
Pokémon Go finally arrives in Japan
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 3
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The Associated Press
OKYO — The wait is finally
over for Pokémon Go fans in
Japan.
Players began tweeting about it as
soon as it was available July 22, and
the Pokémon Co. and the developer of
the augmented-reality game, U.S.-
based Niantic Inc., confirmed its
launch.
Pokémon Go is a huge hit in Japan,
the country of the character’s birth.
Fans had been eagerly awaiting its
release since it first came out in
Australia, New Zealand, and the
United States, and then spread to
become a blockbuster hit in more
than 20 countries.
“The best part is that I just got the
first three (characters), I felt like,
‘Yes!’” university student Shuta Saito
said in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, a
popular spot for fans of animation
and games.
One of the Japanese creators of the
game apologized for the delay in a
video with the American head of
Niantic posted on the internet.
“To everyone in Japan: I am sorry
to make you wait for so long,” said
Jyunichi Masuda, the head of
development at Game Freak Inc., the
developer of the original Pokémon
game. “Pokémon Go can now be
played in Japan.”
In the game, players search for
digital creatures that pop up on
smartphone screens as they move
through real-world locations. The
game’s success has sent the stock
price of Nintendo Co. soaring. The
Japanese game maker, in partner-
ship with Game Freak, released the
original Pokémon game in the
mid-1990s, and owns the trademarks
to all the game’s characters.
The launch in Japan includes a
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POKÉMON RETURNS HOME. People gaze at their smartphones while playing Pokémon
Go in Akihabara district in Tokyo. The wait is over for Pokémon Go fans in Japan. Users began
tweeting about it as soon as it was available last month. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
tie-up with McDonald’s Japan that is
seen as a potential expansion of the
game’s revenue base beyond the sale
of in-app purchases.
Financial details have not been
disclosed, but McDonald’s said that
about 400 of its 2,900 restaurants in
the country are designated as “gyms”
where players can battle on their
smartphones. The other 2,500 are
“Pokéstops,” where players can get
“Poké Balls” and other items they
need to play the game.
Because the game uses GPS, it can
drive potential customers to a store in
a way that other games cannot. “They
are adding a new way to make money
through mobile games by virtue of the
GPS element in the game, and I think
this deal is just the first of many to
come,” said Serkan Toto, a Tokyo-
based games industry consultant.
Keito Sato, 17, walking with school
friends in Tokyo’s Roppongi area,
said he’s been playing since he
learned about the game’s release via
Twitter. He was hoping to test his
skills in a battle at a McDonald’s, but
realized he had not reached a
sufficient level to do so.
In Akihabara, 19-year-old student
Yuchi Mori said he was undeterred by
the multiple reports of Pokémon
Go-related traffic accidents and other
mishaps elsewhere. He downloaded
the game as soon as a school exam
ended.
“Well I suppose using the smart-
phone while walking is dangerous,
and small kids could be taken away
by suspicious people, but I think it’s
all right as long as each individual
stays careful,” said Mori, a Pokémon
fan since he was six years old.
As anticipation built toward the
Japan release, the government
issued nine safety-related rules for
Pokémon Go players to follow.
Niantic CEO John Hanke asked
users to play with care.
“When you go out to play, keep your
head up, look around, enjoy the world
around you, and be safe,” he said in
the video message.
Associated Press videojournalist
Emily Wang contributed to this story.
Japan’s nine safety tips for Pokémon Go
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The Associated Press
OKYO — Aware of the reports of Pokémon
Go-related mishaps elsewhere, Japan’s govern-
ment-run National Center of Incident Readiness
and Strategy for Cybersecurity issued a flyer with nine
public-safety tips to keep overly enthusiastic players from
getting into trouble.
Protect personal information
The government says that when registering, a player
should use a nickname that a third party cannot use to
identify the player. It also advises against posting photos
taken near one’s home on social media, as the location
could be ascertained.
Beware of fake apps
The government warns there are possibilities that some
apps contain viruses and urges users to download the
game’s app from legitimate distribution channels.
Download weather apps
Pokémon Go users who play outside need to be mindful
of the weather. Download apps that issue severe weather
warnings. A cartoon on the government flyer shows a
person dragging away a preoccupied player as a tsunami
approaches, shouting, “Stop playing and run!”
Beware of heatstroke
Players of the game may go hunting on a sunny day. In
that case, the government advises players to be aware of
heatstroke, taking a rest in the shade frequently and
consuming drinks that contain salt. Drinking water only
is not sufficient.
Carry an extra battery
Games that use GPS eat up battery life, so carry extra
batteries or chargers.
Have an additional method of contact
In case your smartphone battery runs out, carry a
phone card so you can use a public phone. For kids playing
alone, parents should take a head-to-toe picture of them in
the clothes they are wearing, in case they go missing.
Do not enter dangerous areas
There have been reports in other countries of people
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SAFETY STRATEGIES. This image released by Japan’s National
Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity shows a copy
of a flyer issued by the Japanese government to Pokémon Go players.
Aware of the reports of Pokémon Go-related mishaps elsewhere, Japan
issued a flyer with nine public-safety tips to keep overenthusiastic players
from getting into trouble. (Japan’s National Center of Incident Readiness
and Strategy for Cybersecurity via AP)
getting into trouble while playing the game, including
being hit by a car, falling into a pond, getting robbed, and
being bitten by a snake. The government also warns
players to be careful overseas — its flyer features a
Continued on page 4
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