Japan to Ban Drone Night Flights

Tokyo, June 2 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government drew up an outline on Tuesday for regulations on drones, including a ban on night flights by unmanned aerial vehicles as an emergency measure. The government plans to submit to the ongoing parliamentary session a bill to revise the aviation law to include such new rules. The outline was compiled in the wake of a high-profile incident in April in which a small drone landed on the roof of the prime minister's office in Tokyo. The outline only allows those with strict safety control systems to fly drones in regions near airports and crowded residential areas. As a medium- to long-term measure, the outline calls for introducing a license system for large and high-performance drones and requiring registration of such drones so owners can be identified in the event of accidents involving drones. The government also plans to ask drone makers to install computer programs designed to prevent drones from flying in no-fly zones. Separately, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito are preparing for submitting lawmaker-initiated legislation for prohibiting drones from flying at areas near such important facilities as the prime minister's office and the Imperial Palace. END