Air polluters to pay damages
(N.Z.P. A. -Reuter —Copyright) TOKYO, July 24. A Judge today found in favour of the public in Japan’s first Court decision on industrial responsibility for air pollution.
Judge Kiyoshi Yonemoto ordered six companies in the western city of Yokkaichi to pay a total of 88,210,000 yen (about $NZ210,000) to nine plaintiffs for causing air pollution leading to acute respiratory diseases. Of the nine victims, two died before the decision was handed down in the four-year Court battle.
The Judge ruled that five chemical firms and an electric power company forming part of a petrochemical complex were responsible for polluting the air and causing pollution-induced diseases. The plaintiffs had demanded compensation totalling 200,580,000 yen (about $NZ530,000). Yokkaichi was regarded as a test case, almost certainly leading to a rash of similar suits around the country. Previous pollution cases have involved only one company, and Yokkaichi was the first time several industrial concerns have been charged with joint responsibility.
The 2,000-page Court decision said that factories had used fuel oil with large sulphur content, resulting in the release of wastes and smoke containing sulphur compounds. Japanese Government spokesmen said that they accepted the verdict and would study specific pleasures to cope with its implications. Japan’s remarkable economic growth in the 1960 s was achieved by massive emphasis on industrial development, which, Government officials now admit, resulted in the current chronic pollution problems. The Yokkaichi case is one of four landmark court hearings involving various aspects of pollution. Two have now been settled in the public’s favour and two are still in progress.
The Trade Minister (Mr Yasuhiro Nakasone) said that the Court action was “epoch making” and his Ministry would redouble efforts to find supplies of low-sulphur oil, which produces far less pollution side-effects, and would work for the development and installation of desulphurisation equipment. Companies hit by public complaints have claimed the cost of installing efficient anti-pollution equipment would be prohibitive without Government assistance.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32977, 25 July 1972, Page 13
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328Air polluters to pay damages Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32977, 25 July 1972, Page 13
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