Pokemon GO has finally launched in Japan - the place where the gaming and cartoon phenomenon was born.

The Nintendo-backed smartphone game has been a huge success, doubling the Japanese gaming company's value since it launched in the US earlier this month.

Japan was made to wait until the servers had been upgraded before the game was released there, due to the expected demand for the game.

Image: Playing Pokemon GO in downtown Toronto

Maho Ishikawa, a 16-year-old high school student, told Reuters: "Everyone was talking about why we couldn't do it here.

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"Since I really wanted to play, I'm very, very glad."

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The game uses augmented reality to let players "capture" monsters in real-life locations.

In a video address to Japanese fans, the game's co-creator Junichi Masuda apologised for keeping players waiting so long.

"From today you can go out and find Pokemon to your heart's content. We hope the game enables users to see the world in a new, fulfilling way. Obey the rules and have fun."

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University students in Tokyo on their last day of classes before summer holidays downloaded the app as soon as it became available.

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Toshinori Ishibashi, 18, said: "This game is just as I imagined it to be, it's really fun.

Image: The game features the iconic Pokemon character Pikachu

"It's also a great reason to go outside, so I'm really enjoying it."

China - the world's biggest smartphone gaming market - is still waiting for Pokemon GO to launch there.