Can I fly a drone in tokyo?

I want to make a cool personal video of my latest trip to tokyo. I wanted to do somethibg different from what I've seen before. I plan to get a decent quad drone with a gopro camera and flyover crowded areas around tokyo. My question is there any restrictions on drones? Will I get in trouble? Has anyone heard this before ?

I think it will break the "radio control act" if you fly a drone near buildings(other than your property), train stations include rails, public roads, crowded places include intersections, power lines, and the third person's property,

I guessing you want japan self defense force to come after you.

California Love
Can you do that in say the downtown or city centre in LA or SF?

Let you be the 1st guy to try this stunt in Tokyo.
Pioneers have arrows at their backs.

Eager minds with a touch of schadenfreude want to know the outcome.
Make sure you have net access in a Japan jail.

Just a quick search on YouTube about drone flying in Tokyo or Japan yields almost no results. It must not be recommended.

Can you do that in say the downtown or city centre in LA or SF?

Yes you can, but in general you would need to get the proper permits for this kind of videography.

Let you be the 1st guy to try this stunt in Tokyo.

It's been done before, so he'd be far from the first. If you want to do drone videography then you'd better look into permits.

Looks like it's still unsure about the drone situation I may have to research it further more. I've flown it in la with no problem mostly bc rules to drones are still fairly new. At most you just get asked to take it down.

Living in Tokyo and considering to buy a DJI Phantom 2 drone for my GoPro camera myself, from what I hear is that they'll kick you out of parks if you try to fly it there. There are power lines everywhere and it is not recommened to fly near these. Additionally, I think it is very dangerous to fly these over crowded areas, if you lose control and the thing fall into someone from 100m. Fly-aways are not unheard off, so even if you think you can easily control it, it might go all wrong.

Due to the above I have myself put the purchase on hold.

(a) US FAA guidelines explaining where hobbyists can fly commercially available drones and model airplanes.
http://www.faa.gov/uas/
It acknowledges that recreational flying "doesn't require FAA approval" but also makes clear that such activity
should "avoid doing anything hazardous to other aircrafts or people and property on the ground."
(.) Do's and Don'ts for flying model aircraft.
http://www.faa.gov/uas/publications/model_aircraft_operators/

FAA restates the law�fs definition of �gmodel aircraft,�h including requirements that they not interfere with manned aircraft, be flown within sight of the operator and be operated only for hobby or recreational purposes.

(b) This New Yorker wss arrested for flying a drone and his drone seized by NY police
NY man arrested for allegedly flying drone over U.S. Open venue
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/04/justice/new-york-us-open-drone/index.htm...

(Q): Is there an equivalent agency (to US FAA) in Japan?

Cal_love stated he wants flyover crowded areas in Tokyo
There's a world of difference : Tokyo - droning over Yoyogi Park vs the busy street of Harajuku or the iconic Shibuya Crossing
Similarly in New York - droning over Central park vs over 5th Ave
He says he has flown it in LA(over crowded areas?)
In a litiguous nation like USA, what are his legal liabilities if the drone malfunctions (loss of electronic control or mechanical failure)?

yllwsmrf - citation needed; what agency issues the permits and any black-n-white on drone rules and regulations,

Cal_love can make his japan trip memorable or miserable(15 minutes of fame or infamy)

No citation needed. The advice was to look into permits, not that I know that they are required for drone filming in Tokyo. Just the opposite in fact, as I suspect that is is illegal to do drone videography and that a permit might be the only avenue available.

(Q): Is there an equivalent agency (to US FAA) in Japan?

Yes, it's called the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau. They would be a good place to ask about the legality of flying a drone over a public space.

How about an alternative? Go into the nearest high rise (mostly shops) and get some footage out of the windows.

I agree that those flyover videos look pretty cool and would love to bolt a camera on a quadcopter myself, but haven't done so yet.

If you still want to do it, be prepared to get asked to leave, check up on the laws and get arrested nevertheless while the police take three weeks with you in jail for investigating and above all else, get some hundred hours practice flying that thing.

you are fully responsible for the result, if you make an accident.

Thank you "yet another" for the useful information and everyone with there opinions. I guess it comes down to just having some balls to fly one. Of course I don't plan to fly over cable lines. I'm going to be very cuatios and film maybe a minute or so then leave from desired places. My trip isn't until next year so I'm going to practice a lot to avoid any accidents. Once again thank you all for your opinions

I'm afraid that it is not allowed to fly drones in Tokyo area.

Civil Aeronautics Act (Japanese aviation law) designate the area around Narita Airport and Haneda Airport as Special Controlled Airspace and all the aircrafts flying in the area must be able to fly blind, i.e. to fly with the instruction from the air control by MILT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) and flight instrument only as visual flight is prohibited regardless the weather conditions.
Radio-controlled planes (I believe drones belong to this category), paragliders, light planes and the likes are not allowed to fly in the area due to the above reason since these devices are not classified as aircrafts.

Haneda Special Controlled Airspace is shown in read, and Narita in green in the map below.
http://dmcr.web.fc2.com/Yokota06.jpg
Also there's another controlled Airspace - Yokota Airspace, which is controlled by Yokota Air Base - which is shown in yellow in the map.
These covers almost whole the TOkyo area and beyond, therefore you cannot fly a drone in Tokyo.

Yahoo! Answers "What is the reason you cannot fly radio-controlled planes in Tokyo?"
http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1285823087
(in Japanese)

Thank you "yet another" for the useful information and everyone with there opinions. I guess it comes down to just having some balls to fly one.

No it comes down to respecting the laws of another country and having consideration for the safety and privacy of others.

Actions like yours, if you decide to do it, are what gives all tourists a bad name and reputation in the eyes of the Japanese. If there's a hint that something may not be legal, then don't do it. Avoid yourself the hassle of getting in trouble and that way we can all travel to Japan in peace.

I have been to Japan many times and respected and embrace the culture to the fullest each time. I simply asked if anyone knew any knowledge on this matter. Now that I have read the laws it's clear it's not wise to do so please get off your soap box and go complain on another post. As for everyone who has helped with helping me understand THE LAW thank you for those with negative opinions go get bitter at something else on this forum

Hi, I appreciate this is an older thread but for anyone else looking for info, I am currently researching the UAV laws for every country in the world and posting them to my website, uavlaw.expert.
For Japan, you need permission from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to fly a "pilotless" aircraft.

They are used widely for agriculture but I have also read of laws prohibiting flying over roads and controlled airspace but I haven't found the specific laws relating to roads yet.

The legal definition for needing permission can be found on www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp, article 87.

You shouldn't need a law to stop you flying over roads and built-up areas. Common sense should be enough.

Drones are no different from the remote control helicopters RC enthusiasts have been flying for years in designated places. 'Drone' owners should take their toys to the park if its legal and not try to fly them over streets full of cars or pavements full of people. If there's an accident, innocent people will get hurt.

There have already been close calls with planes. Eventually some idiot is going to take down an aircraft with one of these things, so don't be surprised if you don't get a positive response on a forum full of people who fly to and from Japan and have a vested interest in both air safety and in anything that might cause the people of Japan to think badly of foreign visitors.