Court Rules More Compensation for Air Base Residents
A court in Japan has demanded that the country’s government provide people living close to a US military base with more compensation in connection with military aircraft noise, according to an official.
Yokota Air Base
The official – a spokeswoman for Tokyo High Court – spoke on the basis her identity not be revealed. She said that, of the 257 appeals filed by civilians living near to Yokota Air Base, the majority were upheld. The court, she added, said that these residents were owed in excess of 190 million yen – higher than the 160 million yen figure ordered by a court five years ago on the same issue.
Aircraft Movements
Judge Hidetoshi Somiya did not, however, meet the plaintiffs’ calls for early/ late aircraft movements at the base to cease, nor did he agree that advance compensation be awarded.
On the first issue, the court highlighted how the government in Japan could not make a ruling where US military flight operations were concerned.
No information has emerged on whether, following the judge’s ruling, either of the two sides involved in this case would progress to the Japanese Supreme Court.
US/ Japanese Military Agreement
Under the terms of an agreement forged post-World War Two, approximately 40,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan. Residents there have long-standing complaints relating to a number of areas – crime and noise among them.
In respect of Yokota Air Base – used by USAF C-130 Hercules and C-21 aircraft, and UH-1 helicopters – five other lawsuits have been filed over the past three decades. This July 17th ruling mirrored previous ones, in agreeing that compensation was due, but saying that demands to do with the flight operations themselves would not be met.
In the opinion of one of the plaintiffs involved, Taizo Asano, the latter rejection was not a fair one.
"We will not be defeated by the ruling, but will continue to raise our voice until it is heard”, Asano said in comments quoted by Japanese media, adding: "We'll continue our fight."
Source – Armed Forces International’s Far East Correspondent
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