KOBE -- With only a few weeks to go before construction officially begins, the first of what opponents say will be a string of lawsuits has been filed in hopes of halting the Kobe airport project.
The Committee to Protect South Kobe, led by lawyer Kyoko Inoue, filed a claim with the Kobe District Court against the city Wednesday, asking that the 37.8 billion yen allocated in the 1999 municipal budget for airport construction be frozen.
The suit claims that the city failed to properly conduct an analysis of how noise pollution levels in Kobe's Suma Ward would be affected by takeoffs and landings at the new airport, charging that such a failure is a violation of environmental laws.
It also claims that the city cannot afford to build the airport, as the amount of outstanding municipal bonds exceeds 3 trillion yen.
Many of the bonds are short-term, high interest notes issued to pay for reconstruction following the Great Hanshin Earthquake in January 1995.
Previous lawsuits brought against the city opposing the airport on environmental and financial grounds have all been rejected by the district court.
The city had no comment on the latest lawsuit, but said it would not affect plans to formally start construction later this month. Kobe airport is expected to open in 2005.