Drones in Japan

Flying drones in Japan ain't easy, if you're unexperienced controlling it as well, but I am actually talking about the lack of information about RED ZONES (no flight area), especially the languare barrier is a big issue, the only official sites about rules that you can find is about the general stuff, not next to airports, not above 150m...

http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/koku/uas.html

Violating those laws can cost up to 500,000 yen.

By reading those information I didn't think a fly over the Ueno park in Tokyo at night (the restrictions at night seem to be new) would violate anything - actually it doesn't, no densely inhabited destrict, no airport nearby, no event, almost nobody at the park at night.

That's why I tried a short flight last year after Tokyo Game Show Press day.
Shortly after starting my drone a few police officers were standing behind me, asking if this is my drone, although they had to wait for an interpreter. I violated the law, because the whole city of Tokyo is a RED ZONE, how could I know. They took me to the police station and made me feel like a criminal, checking all my stuff, each and every part of it.

Luckily I didn't have to pay any ammount or go to jail, but I had to write a letter to the chief officer of the station that I didn't know about that law and I also had to promise not to fly my drone again in Tokyo.

But my questions about those "secret" RED ZONES kept unanswered - TOKYO NOT ALLOWED... - that's all. I saw many videos of drones in Tokyo, so I still wonder how they got their permissions, because the Police officers told me it's almost impossible to get a permission.

It took a while and a lot of effort to find out something about those NO FLIGHT ZONES, but this source is japanese only, but finally I am able to check the spots where I want to fly, for example Fushimi Castle in Kyoto, I might try this spot during my next trip to Japan.

Here's the HOLY GRAIL for areas to fly a drone in Japan:
RED ZONE MAP JAPAN

The only flight that I was able to do yet was above Mount Iwafune a place where many Super Sentai (Western version: Power Rangers) explosion scenes where shot.

The drone I used is the DJI PHANTOM VISION 2, before making the first videos, you should practice the general flying. If you use it together with a GOPRO like I do BE CAREFUL WITH THE GOPRO WIFI, if you switch on the GOPRO Wifi and start your drone, you can't control it, those 2 frequences interfere so you might LOSE YOUR DRONE AND YOUR CAMERA.

I will try to make a few more drone pictures on my next trip to Japan.