Pokémon Go set to hit Japan with first official partner

TechCrunch has reported that mobile app game "Pokémon Go" is set to launch in its origin country of Japan on Wednesday, July 20, marking the first launch of Pokémon Go in Asia to date.

While the "Pokémon Go" craze has already hit over 30 countries, including the US, Canada and much of Europe, the app has yet to launch across the Asian region -- aside from Australia and New Zealand.

Commenting to Forbes, John Hanke, CEO of Niantic -- the company behind the title --  noted that the delay is because the companies behind the app (which include the Pokémon company and Nintendo) want to ensure that its servers will be ready to deal with the high demand that the Japan launch is expected to generate.

The Japan launch will also see the company collaborate with an official partner for the first time, with over 3,000 McDonald's restaurants across Japan set to become "sponsored locations" in the app, acting as "gyms" for "Pokemon Go" gamers, where Pokémon can be battled or trained.