More than 5,500 people living near the U.S. Kadena air base filed a group lawsuit Monday against the Japanese government, claiming damages from noise pollution and seeking a ban on night flights.
A total of 5,544 people from six municipalities around the base, whose land overlaps the administrative areas of the city of Okinawa and the towns of Kadena and Chatan in Okinawa Prefecture, filed the suit with the Naha District Court's Okinawa branch.
They are demanding compensation of more than 6 billion yen.
In addition, 21 of the plaintiffs filed a separate suit against the U.S. government at the same court, demanding a ban on nighttime military flights.