Japan warns tourists about safety when playing Pokémon GO

UNLIKE hotels and restaurants in Hong Kong and Sydney that have leveraged on the Pokémon GO craze, Japan is less concerned about cashing in on the frenzy surrounding the augmented reality game.

Instead, Japanese tourism agencies and sites have issued safety warnings for tourists and locals to respect off-limit areas and those around them, as well as to respect accident sites.

Besides that, the National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC) under the Cabinet Office put out a nine-point bulletin warning people of possible problems surrounding the game.

Some of these “problems” included players’ privacy being invaded if using their real names and photos of their homes, not packing back-up battery in the case of an emergency, the possibility of a heatstroke during hot weather, and the risks of wandering about in dangerous areas.

“In countries where the game has already been launched, various incidents have been reported, including users getting run over by a car, falling into a pond, getting bitten by a snake, and getting robbed,” the NISC said.

JR West President Tatsuo Kijima told The Japan Times, “We are worried that enthused users could get into trouble or in accidents. We have asked passengers, over and over again, not to use smartphones while walking.”

“Use of smartphones while walking is a major cause of accidents on train platforms.”

Meanwhile, after its launch in Taiwan last week, over 300 drivers have been slapped with fines for playing the game while driving cars and motorcycles.

In Thailand, authorities warned of the potential dangers of Pokémon GO, particularly in religious and historic sites. The Royal Palace too is strictly off-limits to those looking to catch pocket monsters.

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Source: travelwireasia.com