The Sendai High Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling that awarded damages to people whose identities were recorded by a Self-Defense Force intelligence unit during a protest over Japan's involvement in the Iraq War.
The rally was held to oppose the dispatch of SDF personnel to Iraq. Officials noted the names and affiliations of people who took part — an illegal act, the plaintiffs argued.
But the Sendai High Court rejected the plaintiffs' call for a suspension of intelligence activities by the SDF and only awarded one of the 94 individuals damages — a sum of ¥100,000.