Did it begin with the 2007 lawsuit that ruled fountain play was too noisy?

I have been sharing my feelings about, as well as reports that highlight, how children's play in Japan, particularly Tokyo, is becoming increasingly restricted in recent years. It got me thinking - how and when did it all start. The why of it unfortunately is not something that can be easily answered because it involves complex human characteristics. And I for one well never understand how any individual can call a child "noisy" just for playing.

In 2007 there was a case in Tokyo when a fountain was shut down and thus children's play stopped after a noise complaint. A nearby resident of a fountain complained "The voices of children playing in the fountain are too noisy". Moreover, she filed for a provisional injunction with the Tokyo District Court to stop the noise. And unfortunately, the Tokyo District Court ruled that the fountain must not be used, and the local government shut it down.

This case is reportedly often cited as an early example of how individual noise complaints can override children's access to public play spaces. It also shows how legal mechanisms, like provisional injunctions, can accelerate the removal of play opportunities, especially in dense urban areas like Tokyo. What concerns me more though is that it set a precedent, one that justifies the restriction of kid's play, and it seems to be getting worse in recent years.