The Tokyo High Court ordered the government Wednesday to pay a record 3.25 billion yen in noise pollution damages to an estimated 6,000 residents living near the U.S. Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.
The high court also upheld a lower court decision rejecting the plaintiffs' demand for future damages and for a suspension of early-morning and late-night flights.
Presiding Judge Hiromu Emi meanwhile criticized the government for neglecting to take measures to compensate residents for the noise pollution despite a previous Supreme Court ruling on earlier suits stating that aircraft noise from the base is above legal limits.