Compensation for Residents around Airbase

While the residents around Futenma Airbase for United States Marine Corps in Okinawa, which was once called the world most dangerous base by U.S. Secretary of Defense, have been suffering from noises of touch-and-go practice of military aircrafts, that cannot be paralleled with the roar of fighter jets in Kadena Airbase. In the third round of the lawsuit on Kadena Noise Case, a regional court in Naha ordered the Government of Japan to pay compensation for the complaints. However, the court dismissed the demand of the residents to stop the flight.

Kadena Airbase is the greatest base of U.S. Air Force in the Fareast. From the base with two 3,700-meter runways, fighter jets, cargo aircrafts or antisubmarine aircrafts took off to the battlefield in Vietnam War or Iraq War. Not only belonging F-15 Eagle, but F-22 Raptor often visits Kadena. The base is located in the western coast of main island of Okinawa, stretching to the City or Towns of Kadena, Okinawa and Chatan.

Twenty-two thousands of the residents around Kadena Base indicted Japanese government requiring compensation for their health deterioration by huge noise of the aircraft. When a fighter jet leaves the runway, explosive noise not only makes them deaf but also shakes their houses. The plaintiffs demanded stopping taking off and landing in the early morning and the night, not to bother peaceful sleeping.

Okinawa Branch of Naha Regional Court ordered Japanese government to pay those residents ¥30 billion, recording the highest compensation leaving the same kind of lawsuits in Atsugi – ¥8.2 billion – behind.“In spite of the fact that the noise around the base was public concern in as early as 1970s, the governments of U.S. and Japan has not taken necessary measures and been leaving illegal damage behind,” told the presiding judge, Tetsuya Fujikura.

The plaintiffs are not satisfied with, anyway. The court did not recognize the power of Japanese government to stop the flight of those fighter jets. This is the ordinary logic of third-party activity, which has been introduced in past cases. As long as U.S. Force ignore the decision in those lawsuits, the people cannot achieve peaceful life around the base. Dense population of Japan cannot afford Air Force base around.

One of the lawyers for the plaintiffs indicates that the logic of third-party activity gets rid the government of qualification to deal with the issue. “While the decision criticizes the government, the court issues an indulgence. It was a decision both by angel and devil,” said him. The plaintiffs made their mind to continue the protest until the flight would be stopped.