Japan woman dies in Pokemon Go car accident

Agence France-Presse

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Japan woman dies in Pokemon Go car accident

EPA

The woman, a 72-year-old, is hit by a 39-year-old man who was playing the app while driving. Another woman is seriously injured.

TOKYO, Japan – A driver who was allegedly playing Pokemon Go when he hit and killed a woman in Japan has been arrested, police said Wednesday, August 24.

Media said that Tuesday’s incident marked Japan’s first fatal vehicle accident involving the popular gaming app.

Keiji Gooh, a 39-year-old farmer, allegedly struck two women on Tuesday evening, August 23, on a road in Tokushima city, western Japan, as he played the app while driving, a police spokesman said.

One of the women, aged 72, died while the other, 60, was seriously injured, the spokesman said.

Jiji Press said it was the nation’s first fatal accident involving a driver playing Pokemon Go while at the wheel.

Jiji also said there have been nearly 80 accidents in Japan involving modes of transportation including cars and bicycles since the app was introduced into Japan last month.

Authorities worldwide have issued a slew of warnings since the hugely popular smartphone app was launched in July. (READ: Mandaue City warns Pokemon Go players: Don’t play and drive)

It has already been blamed for a wave of crimes, traffic violations, and complaints in cities around the globe. (READ: Taiwan tries to drive Pokemon Go off the road)

The free app uses satellite locations, graphics, and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon monsters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train the creatures for battles. (READ: Pokemon Go players risk all for their monsters)

Pokemon has been popular in Japan since first being launched as software in 1996 for Nintendo’s iconic Game Boy console.

It expanded into other media, most notably a wildly popular TV animation show and its popularity has never waned. – Rappler.com

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