The government is planning to prohibit pointing laser beams at aircraft operating in airspace around airports, with violators facing a fine of up to ¥500,000 (S$6,685).
The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry plans to revise the ordinance of the Civil Aeronautics Law to implement the legal regulations, in response to a series of incidents at airports nationwide in which laser beams were directed toward aircraft, including passenger jets.
The ministry aims to enforce the law by the end of this year at the earliest. Pointing laser beams at US military planes is also likely to be forbidden, as is the flying of kites around airports.
The ministry said it was aware of 194 laser-pointing incidents solely targeting private jets from July 2010 to the end of June this year. Most planes were hit by laser beams when they approached for landing.
Self-Defence Forces aircraft and US military planes have also been the target of similar incidents at Atsugi Air Base in Kanagawa Prefecture and the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, among others.
In December, a man who directed a laser at a US military aircraft in Okinawa Prefecture was arrested on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business. Authorities assume that such actions obstruct the operations of the pilot who is exposed to the laser beam.
As the use of laser pointers targeting aircraft has not been prohibited, the ministry concluded that it has to take stronger measures by imposing legal restrictions against such acts.
In the provisions of the Civil Aeronautics Law, the ministry plans to add pointing lasers to “the case of committing any act which might adversely affect the flights of an aircraft as may be specified by ordinances of the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.”
The ministry will also prohibit flying a kite in airspace around airports, as there has been a spate of incidents that obstructed US military plane flights by flying a kite near US military bases in Okinawa Prefecture.
Pilots’ level of stress is highest during takeoff and landing, so pointing lasers at their aircraft could cause serious accidents. Many airline companies have urged the government to take prompt measures.
As the ministry will apply the ordinance to US military planes as well, it also plans to revise the ordinance of a law for special cases in accordance with the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement.
