Japan to Tighten Rules on Drone Flights near Key Facilities

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)--Japan’s National Police Agency aims to submit a bill to tighten rules on drone flights near key facilities based on a report by an expert team released Thursday.

The team proposed expanding the no-fly zones to about 1,000 meters around such facilities and imposing penalties immediately on violators, according to the report, compiled following discussions to boost security measures amid a rapid spread of drones and an improvement in their performance.

The agency hopes to submit a bill to revise the drone flight regulation law at next year’s ordinary session of the Diet, the country’s parliament.

In principle, the current law prohibits drone flights over the premises of designated important facilities such as government buildings and nuclear power plants, calling such areas “red zone.” It also stipulates “yellow zone” within about 300 meters of such facilities, where drone flights are banned.

The rules apply to 470 designated facilities nationwide, including Self-Defense Forces bases and airports.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]