Overview
- On December 18, an NPA advisory panel finalized a report recommending that the Yellow-zone around protected sites be expanded from roughly 300 meters to about 1 kilometer.
- The report urges making flights in the expanded Yellow-zone immediately punishable, bringing enforcement in line with Red-zone violations where penalties already apply at once.
- The recommendations call for adding protected targets, including high-profile individuals and major public ceremonies such as the Peace Memorial Ceremony.
- The National Police Agency will draft amendments to the Small Unmanned Aircraft Flight Prohibition Act with an eye to submitting a bill to the ordinary Diet session as early as next year.
- Officials cite rapid performance gains and broad civilian uptake—about 350,000 drones registered as of late September—alongside data showing 21 detected violations through 2024, all in Red zones and nearly 70% over defense facilities.