The Japan Times reports that “in a lawsuit filed by residents over noise pollution at the Atsugi air base, the First Petty Bench of Japan’s Supreme Court excluded a demand for a halt to flights by U.S. military planes from the reasons for accepting the plaintiffs’ appeal against a lower court’s ruling, it was learned Saturday.”

“This means that chances are high for the top court to uphold district and high court rulings that rejected the demand.”

“In July last year, the Tokyo High Court recognized that U.S. aircraft carrier-based planes flying to and from the base in Kanagawa Prefecture are the main cause of the noise.”