Municipalities around Japan, including local governments in Kyushu, are starting to enact restrictions on the small unmanned aircraft commonly referred to as drones. On a May 26 meeting of Kumamoto City Council, it was announced that a review committee would begin deliberating guidelines for the use of drones after a police officer stopped a foreign visitor from flying a drone earlier in the month. City officials are worried about potential damage to cultural assets. Meanwhile, Fukuoka Prefecture enacted a new set of permission standards on May 14. The new guidelines require commercial users to get permission from the governor to fly drones and prohibits their use by unskilled individual users. The move comes just ahead the Hakata Gion Yamakasa, a traditional event that attracts many tourists in July. Yamakasa’s organizing committee said it has received requests from the foreign press to use drones to film the event, but the City Council fears falling drones could injure tourists. Nishinippon Shimbun 5/27
