Locals Lose Suit over Dam Discharges in Western Japan Rain Disaster

Matsuyama, Ehime Pref., March 18 (Jiji Press)--Local residents living in the lower reaches of the Hiji River in the western Japan prefecture of Ehime lost a damages lawsuit against the central and local governments on Wednesday over emergency dam discharges during a massive rain disaster in 2018.

Fumitaka Furuichi, presiding judge at Matsuyama District Court, rejected the petition filed by 31 residents for compensation totaling some 538 million yen. The residents had claimed that they suffered harm due to alleged deficiencies in operational procedures during the water discharges conducted to prevent the dams from collapsing and in the dissemination of evacuation information.

The plaintiffs plan to file an appeal.

At the time of the disaster, the Nomura dam in the city of Seiyo in Ehime and the Kano River dam in the city of Ozu in the same prefecture carried out emergency water releases. Both dams are managed by the land ministry's Shikoku Regional Development Bureau.

The discharges caused flooding downstream in the Hiji River, leaving eight people dead.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]