TOKYO – A Japanese court has ordered the government to pay compensation to residents living near in Okinawa over aircraft noise, Kyodo News reported on Monday.
In a ruling dated Jan 23 and made public on Monday, the Naha District Court’s Okinawa branch ruled that the state must pay a total of 2.53 billion yen ($16.45 million) in damages to about 5,000 residents, citing the impact of noise from US military aircraft.
The court dismissed the demand for flight restrictions, saying that US military flight operations constitute acts by a third party beyond the Japanese government’s control.
Kadena Air Base is one of the largest US military installations in East Asia. It has long been a source of local complaints due to noise and other disruptions.