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2016 November 16 - 22 [POLITICS]

Court orders gov’t to compensate Okinawans near US base for noise pollution

The Naha District Court in Okinawa on November 17 issued a ruling ordering the central government to compensate local residents living near the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station for the noise pollution caused by U.S. military aircraft.

The court decision directed the Abe administration to pay about 3,400 plaintiffs a total of some 2.46 billion yen in damages, noting that the state has failed to take appropriate measures to prevent the noise pollution. However, the ruling dismissed the plaintiffs’ claim for an injunction against the flights of U.S. aircraft, stating that the Japanese government is “not in a position” to control U.S. military drills.

Arakaki Tsutomu, leader of the counsel for the plaintiffs, pointed out that it is unreasonable that the court did not order the suspension of flights while recognizing the fact that many local residents are suffering from the roar of warplanes.

The plaintiffs’ group head, Shimada Zenji, said, “Our claim for compensation was approved, but that won’t resolve the problem. We’ll continue to fight for the suspension of flights.”

In March 2012, the plaintiffs filed a lawsuit demanding damages for the noise pollution and a ban on the flights of U.S. aircraft stationed at the Futenma base.

Past related article:
> 3,129 seek injunction to halt US flights over Futenma [March 31, 2016]