Kyoto man arrested for assault over years of loud music

A 61-year-old man in Kyoto, Japan, has been arrested on assault charges after years of allegedly subjecting his neighbors to incessantly loud music, which police say caused health problems including sleep deprivation and tinnitus. Kazunori Yokoi was taken into custody after authorities, responding to persistent complaints, measured noise levels exceeding 80 decibels in the neighborhood, a volume comparable to heavy traffic or a moving train.

According to police, Yokoi had been blasting hard rock music from amplifiers and a radio for approximately seven years, with complaints from residents in the Nishikyo ward dating back to around 2017. Investigators allege the disturbance intensified in recent years, with Yokoi reportedly using an amplifier to play electric guitar early in the morning and positioning a radio to face the street, where it played around the clock. Officials stated that repeated warnings failed to stop the noise.

Four neighbors, aged in their 60s and 80s, reportedly developed health issues due to the prolonged exposure. Three suffered from sleep deprivation and depression, while a fourth developed tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears. During the investigation,...