Overview
- Japan’s cabinet, which approved the amendment Tuesday, advanced a bill that widens the restricted radius around key sites from about 300 meters to roughly 1 kilometer.
- The law targets flights over and near government buildings, the Imperial Palace, the Diet, airports, Self‑Defense Forces bases, and nuclear facilities, covering 484 sites as of last year.
- Flying in the expanded outer band would face immediate penalties, set at up to six months’ detention or a fine of up to 500,000 yen, while the inner zone remains harsher at up to one year or the same fine.
- Officials cite big jumps in drone speed, control range, and payloads, and they warn about lone attackers using drones to drop explosives.
- Reporters note that much of central Tokyo around national sites could fall inside the new buffer, and the rules would take effect 20 days after promulgation if the Diet passes the bill this session.