In a trial in which residents around the U.S. military Futenma base in Okinawa complained of noise damage, the Okinawa branch of the Naha District Court sentenced the country to compensation of about 1.34 billion yen.
Approximately 3,100 people living around the Futenma base were asking the government for compensation of 9000 to 15,000 yen per person per month, saying that the noise from military aircraft caused damage such as disturbing sleep. ..
In a ruling on the 10th, Kenta Adachi, the judge of the Okinawa branch of the Naha District Court, pointed out that "the noise disturbs our lives and sleep, and we are also suffering from mental damage such as anxiety about accidents."
On top of that, "The benefits of military aircraft activities are enjoyed by the entire nation, and for that reason, asking the local residents to endure mental distress causes significant inequity in relation to the general public." As a result, I ordered the government to compensate all the plaintiffs for a total of about 1.34 billion yen.
Six years ago, another court ruled that the government should pay about 950 million yen to about 2,200 residents in the area around the noise of Futenma base.
In addition, about 5,300 local residents have been sued not only for compensation but also for the suspension of noise from midnight to early morning, and the trial began in July last year.