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Pokemon Go players in Singapore are requested not to hunt for their pocket monsters at the Japanese Cemetery Park in the Hougang area.

A sign informing visitors to take their Pokemon smartphone game elsewhere has been put up by the Japanese Association of Singapore.

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A post shared by SINGAPORE ON PUBLIC NOTICE (@publicnoticesg)

“The Japanese Cemetery Park is a site for those who rest in peace,” the sign read.

“Please respect them and do not enter the ground for Pokemon Go.”

The sign is written in English and Japanese.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZIimarBb_m/

The sign is believed to have been put up for some time, but a photo of it was posted on Instagram account, @publicnoticesg.

The Pokemon Go augmented reality game has been around for six years now.

History of Japanese Cemetery Park

The 30,000sqm cemetery along Chuan Hoe Avenue contains nearly 1,000 graves of Japanese civilians in Singapore and soldiers, mostly from the early 20th century.

It was built in 1891 by three Japanese brothel-keepers.

It originally served as a burial ground for the karayuki-san, who were Japanese women who came to Singapore to be prostitutes.

These women did not have family, and died poor and destitute.

During the pre-war years, other Japanese civilians were buried at the cemetery.

During World War II, the ashes of Japanese soldiers, marines and airmen were brought there.

The remains of Japanese war criminals who were executed at Changi Prison were also moved there.

In 1973, the Singapore government prohibited any more burials in 42 cemeteries, including the Japanese cemetery,

The cemetery was turned into a memorial park in 1987.

It is maintained by the Japanese Association of Singapore.

The park is home to a long row of archways decorated with a native plant species, bougainvillea.

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