Pokemon Go Killed Elderly Woman in Japan
It happened at last; that nutty game Pokemon claimed an innocent life just out of sheer carelessness. A 72-year-old woman beautician in Tokushima was hit by a mini motorcar driven by a Pokemon-driven male age 39. Her mate walking by her side was heavily injured.
This is the first case of this madly popular game claiming a human life since its arrival some while ago. At 7:30 p.m. August 23, Sachiko Nakanishi, 72, and her work mate Kayoko Igawa were crossing the road when the Pokemon-driven light automobile rode over both and killed Sachiko and injured Kayko badly.
The reckless driver, Keiji Gooh, told the police he was not aware of his front view playing Pokemon Go.
Since it landed here Pokemon Go has been a nuisance involving even youngsters and young adults strolling from place to place hunting for heaven knows what. In May this year a Tokyo coed slipped off the station platform to be hit by an incoming train to death; quite a few unknowingly walked into restricted areas to be arrested, etc.
As of August 21, a total of 79 Pokemon-induced traffic accidents were reported in 29 prefectures, of which 22 involved human lives and 57 material damages. The police picked up 1140 violators of the traffic law, 90% of which on account of operating Pokemon Go while driving.
Prior to the accident in Tokushima, a 26-year-old officer in Kasugai, Aichi, had hit and heavily injured a Vietnamese officer worker on the road while "recharging his smart phone to operate Pokemon".
I have no idea what's in this Pokemon Go and why people go nuts playing at so heavy a risk. I have no idea either why they ever created such an antisocial stuff. What bothers me most is the otherwise modest, well-behaving Japanese seem running mad on account of it. It's a pity. (Nathan Shiga)
