THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Japanese father seeks to stop ‘Pokemon Go’ deaths

Japanese father seeks to stop ‘Pokemon Go’ deaths

A father whose son was killed last month by a truck driver who was driving while playing the smartphone game “Pokemon Go” has written a letter to the company that operates the game seeking to prevent more tragedies.

Takatoshi Noritake’s 9-year-old son Keita died after being hit by the truck on Oct. 26 in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture.

 On Thursday, Noritake, 46, is scheduled to meet with Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura and will send his letter to Niantic Inc., which operates the game and has its Japan headquarters in Tokyo.

 Noritake is demanding that Niantic modify the game so characters and items do not appear on roads, and make it usable only when moving slower than walking speed.

 Responding to requests from the Aichi prefectural police and the Ichinomiya city government, the company on Nov. 7 made it impossible to obtain items when moving faster than walking speed.

 “Alerting people and relying on their morals isn’t enough protection,” Takatoshi said. The company “needs to take further steps to make sure there aren’t any more victims like Keita.” 

His letter states, “How can we accept a situation in which children obey the rules but adults ignore them?”

Monday would have been Keita’s 10th birthday. Noritake said the family ate at a nearby family restaurant, then went home to remember Keita with a chocolate cake adorned with 10 candles.

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