AI Drones Target Coastal Poachers

Sep 01, 2025 | News On Japan

YOKOHAMA - The Yokosuka Coast Guard Office conducted an industry–academia–government demonstration on August 30 to evaluate whether AI-equipped drones can automatically identify suspected poachers along a shoreline where illegal harvesting of turban shells and other species is common.

Professor Makoto Motoki said, "Until now, Coast Guard personnel have had to go to the scene and confirm violations with their own eyes before making arrests, but automating this process is exactly where AI excels."

When a drone detects a person in the water, the onboard AI analyzes cues such as whether the person is diving with a net or a scraper to judge the likelihood of poaching, with the findings relayed to officers to support interdiction and arrest.

Typhoon No. 24 Stalls South of Japan

Typhoon No. 24 was nearly stationary south of Japan as of 9 p.m. on September 1 and is expected to move north toward the Amami Islands, where its effects could persist for several days while an autumn rain front raises the risk of heavy rainfall across a wide area.

USJ Eyes First-Ever Park Expansion

Universal Studios Japan is considering its first expansion since opening in 2001, with plans to use about 60,000 square meters of former Nippon Steel factory land adjacent to the park and potentially increase its total area by roughly 10%.

Japan Cuts Speed Limit on Residential Roads to 30 km/h

Japan will lower the statutory speed limit on certain residential roads from 60 kilometers per hour to 30 km/h from September 1, with police in Hyogo Prefecture urging drivers to familiarize themselves with the new rules and drive more carefully in neighborhood areas.

Heatstroke Alert Issued Day After Record Rain Hits Fukui

Residents in Fukui Prefecture began clearing flood-damaged homes early on August 31 as temperatures climbed sharply following record rainfall, prompting authorities to issue a heatstroke alert while recovery work continued in severe heat.

Drones Deliver Supplies to Residents Cut Off by Landslide

Drones were used to deliver food and daily necessities to an isolated mountain community in Himi City, Toyama Prefecture, on August 30 after torrential rain triggered a landslide that cut off road access, while volunteers continued flood recovery work in neighboring Ishikawa Prefecture.

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