I wasn’t too thrilled with Capcom’s Dead Rising – seriously, Capcom…why do you punish people for playing your games? But I am still looking forward to Dead Rising 2. Unfortunately, whatever PR goodness they had in store for E3 has been squashed by an outbreak of swine flu in Osaka.

“Our Capcom guys are not coming to E3 because of the Japanese government restrictions,” said Capcom’s Chris Kramer, Senior Director, Communications and Community. “The company is taking the advisory very seriously.”

Japan currently advises its citizens to restrict international travel, but it people can still travel if they want to. The government there reported Tuesday that they’ve had 191 confirmed cases of Swine Flu, more than in any other country other than the US, Mexico and Canada.

Kramer said the company, which is headquartered in Osaka, laid in a supply of surgical masks and hand sanitizers a month or so ago, to try and cut down on possible illness in the company. The country has closed more than 4,400 schools, colleges and kindergartens for the week. The first case of the flu in the country was reported in Osaka.

(va Kotaku)