On Monday the Yokohama District Court ordered the government to pay 77 Million Yen to the family who lost a loved one due to Mesothelioma cancer caused by Asbestos poisoning. Hitoshi Taima was infected with Mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos while working at the United States naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The judge presiding over the case stated that the government and the United States military neglected to take necessary safety measures for workers. The judge said that the least the government and military could do was to have protective masks available for workers.

Taima was exposed to asbestos while he was insulating air conditioners while he was the engineer at the military base between the years of 1977 and 1995. He was diagnosed with Mesothelioma in April 2006 and passed away in May of 2007.