Kitakyushu cops make nation's first arrest for unauthorized drone flight in prohibited area

KITAKYUSHU – A man was arrested Friday for allegedly flying a drone in a prohibited area without permission in the first such incident since Japan began regulating the unmanned aircraft in 2015. Koji Shiokawa, 58, was arrested on suspicion of violating the revised Civil Aeronautics Law by flying a drone around a park in Kitakyushu on Aug. 21. The park is near a residential area in the city that is designated as a no-fly zone by law due to its high population density. While several drone flight violations have been recorded since the legal revision took affect, only some of cases have been referred to prosecutors. Friday's arrest, however, is the first for flying a drone in a prohibited area without permission, the National Police Agency said.