Pokemonomics

It was something like flash mob of Pikachu or other Pocket Monsters in Tokyo. Following United States, Nintendo started distribution of the software of Pokemon Go on Friday. Pokemon freaks went out to the streets and search for virtual monsters in everywhere in the cities or towns. That new computer game created business incentives in broad area.

Pockemon Go is a game application for smart phone, in which the participant catches Pokemons in public space, using global placement system. A game soft creator in United States, Niantic, formerly descendent from Google, developed the game with cooperation from Nintendo. When the soft was distributed in U.S. and Europe earlier this month, the number of its users in a day recorded unprecedented 21 millions. In Japan, Pokemon Go topped the ranking of downloading of free application.

There appeared immediate Pokemon hunters in Japanese cities. After downloading the soft, map appears on the screen of smart phone, which moves along its owners walking direction. The user can obtain items for catching Pokemons at Pokestops on the map. When a Pokemon appears on actual landscape in the screen, the user will follow and catch it. Someone may ignore red traffic light, so devoted in the game.

Pokemon Go consumes battery so fast that electric appliance shops started bargain of portable electric charger for smart phone. Japan McDonald’s made its 2900 shops in Japan the stations where Pokemon Go users could get catching items. Some internet providers offer free data communication for the game. Japanese media called those new businesses “Pokemonomics.”

The stock price of Nintendo rose up to ¥29,920 in Tokyo Market on Friday, 6.9% higher than the previous day. The total amount of exchange of Nintendo stock shared 30% of all for the day. Stock of McDonald’s Holdings hiked by 4.2 %, marking as high as ¥3,620. “It is welcomed that Japanese game contents make a break in overseas. I expect this boom leads to further economic growth and positive consumption,” told President of Japan Business Federation, Sadayuki Sakakibara.

It stimulated Japanese nationalism. “We are going to support this kind of promotion which delivers Japan-made game contents,” told Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga. He did not forget to warn Pokemon freaks not to sneak into dangerous places in search of Pokemons. Politics always tries to take advantage of economic successes for enhancing agenda.