News Digest

Japan to bolster laws afterdrone lands on Abe’s office roof

Japan will strengthen legislation governing unmanned aircraft after a small drone appeared to have fallen Wednesday onto the roof of the office of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was away at an international gathering in Jakarta. The drone measuring about 50 centimeters (20 inches) was equipped with a small camera, NHK reported. Cesium 134 and 137 were detected from a small container holding liquid, with radiation levels of about 1.0 microsievert/hour – a very low amount, the public broadcaster said.

There is a risk that unmanned aircraft could be used for a terrorist attack at events such as the Olympics or the G-7 summit.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga

he drone was identified by NHK as a Phantom, an aircraft made by Chinese company SZ DJI Technology Co. – the same type that was flown onto the grounds of the White House in January. The drone was found by a worker at 10:27 a.m., shortly after a court rejected a request to block the restart of two nuclear reactors operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co. in southwestern Japan. This prompted speculation on Japanese social media it may have been a stunt by anti-nuclear activists.