High Court orders government to pay 190 million yen in Yokota noise suit

Japan Press Weekly

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High Court orders government to pay 190 million yen in Yokota noise suit

The Tokyo High Court on July 17 ordered the government to pay plaintiffs larger amounts of money than the lower court’s decision in compensation for noise pollution caused by aircraft from the U.S. Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.

The lawsuit had been filed by residents of areas adjacent to the U.S. base.

The high court turned down the plaintiffs’ demand for a ban on early morning and nighttime flights using the Yokota base. The demand had also been rejected by the district court.

The plaintiffs are considering appealing to the Supreme Court.

The high court ruled that the government is to blame for leaving residents to suffer under noise registered at more than 75 on the Weighted Equivalent Continuous Perceived Noise Level.

The total amount of money the government was ordered to pay is 190 million yen, 30 million yen more than the amount ordered by the lower court.

However, based on the results of a recent survey on noise levels caused by U.S. warplanes, the high court reduced the number of plaintiffs to receive the compensation money by 32, from 242, who were qualified as recipients in the 2003 lower court ruling.

The court rejected their demand that the government pay compensation for residents who moved into the area knowing that they would suffer noise pollution.

In six past lawsuits over noise pollution from the U.S. Yokota Air Base, the government has been ordered to pay compensation without a ban on early morning and nighttime flights. - Akahata, July 18, 2008