After one abruptly cancelled launch, concerns about server capacity and government warnings about security, Pokémon Go was launched in Japan on Friday. The hit augmented reality game’s release in Japan – long after It appeared in dozens of other countries – sparked a flood of celebratory messages on social media. “We are truly happy that we have been able to bring this to Japan, where Pokémon was born,” Niantic said on its blog. Reports said 400 McDonalds outlets in Japan had been designated as Pokémon Go “gyms”, where players can battle on their smartphones. “We’ve been repeatedly asking them not to use smartphones while walking on platforms,” said Tatsuo Kijima, president of West Japan Railway.

Source: The Guardian July 22, 2016 04:03 UTC