Finally, the news is out. Starting September 1st this year, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) will relax existing regulations, allowing the use of smartphones and digital cameras on aircraft.

According to reports, the MLIT has conducted safety verification and confirmed that these electronic devices can be used during takeoff and landing. The new regulations will still require devices such as smartphones and tablets to be in Airplane Mode, but they will not need to be turned off. In fact, the FAA announced a similar policy last October, and 10 months later, the Japanese government has officially followed the US in lifting this ban.

This is truly good news. Up until now, I have always been full of scruples when taking photos. From now on, I can finally openly capture the scenery from the plane.