Local governments are agonizing over how to deal with a series of cases in which foreigners have flown drones in tourist spots.
In Japan, flying drones without permission is banned in places where people gather. However, there have been a spate of cases in which foreign tourists, unaware of this regulation, have flown drones. Given the circumstances, some local governments have put up multilingual signs saying flying drones is prohibited and are having their employees patrol to call foreigners' attention to the rule.
A license is not necessary for flying a drone, but the Civil Aeronautics Law bans flying drones weighing 200 grams or more without permission in crowded areas, at night and in other situations.
During the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival, which is being held in Hirosaki Park in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, employees of the Hirosaki city government are patrolling the park, which is famous for cherry blossoms, to issue warnings if they find visitors flying drones.
The city government is on alert following a case last year in which a foreigner flew a drone above a moat around Hirosaki Castle to shoot a video of cherry blossoms during the festival.
During the Hirosaki Neputa Festival in August last year, a French man allegedly flew a drone without permission at night. Police sent papers on the man on suspicion of violating the Civil Aeronautics Law. The man was quoted by the police as saying that he was shooting a video of the festival.
The city government is checking on the internet if any videos shot by drones in parks and other locations have been posted. If such a video is found, the city government takes action such as writing comments to say that the drone was flown without permission. The city government said it has so far confirmed several cases of unauthorized use of drones.
"If videos that were shot [by drones] without permission are posted, people who watched them may also fly [drones]," said an official of the city government's Parks and Green Spaces Division. "We'll ensure thorough checking [of websites]."
Meanwhile, more and more local governments have banned the use of drones, which they say is considered a prohibited act under their existing ordinances on parks.
In March, the Tokyo metropolitan government put up plastic signs, saying that flying drones is banned, in English and other languages at 16 locations in Ueno Park in Taito Ward. The move came after there was a series of cases in which warnings were given to foreign tourists who flew drones. The metropolitan government applied its existing ordinance on parks on those cases.
The city government of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, banned the use of drones around Himeji Castle, a World Heritage site, under its ordinance related to the castle, as drones could damage structures there. In June last year, the city government installed 80 signs in Japanese and English saying that flying drones is banned, following many cases in which foreign tourists who did not know about the ban flew drones in the precincts of the castle.
Meanwhile, measures to prevent drone flights are also being taken at private facilities.
Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, for example, bans bringing drones into its theme parks. The park does not allow people to enter if they are found to possess drones when bags are checked.
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