[All] [Latest] Mrs. Green Apple Live Controversy! What is the real cause of the noise problem that could be heard up to 10km away?

Mrs. Green Apple's 10th anniversary outdoor concert caused an unprecedented noise outrage. The cause was the result of a combination of poor venue selection, acoustic design, and weather and geographical factors. We provide a detailed explanation of the organizers' and operators' responsibilities, legal risks, and measures to prevent future recurrence.

 

 

table of contents 1. Overview of the controversy 2. Mechanism behind noise problems 3. Risk factors at the venue "Yamashita Pier" 4. Complaints from residents and social media outrage 5. Responsibility for the organizers and management 6. Scientifically explaining "Why only deep bass sounds reached the ears" 7. Legal Issues: Violation of Ordinances and Limits of Tolerance 8. Preventing future recurrence

 

1. Overview of the controversy

 

On July 26th and 27th, 2025, Mrs. GREEN APPLE held their 10th anniversary outdoor live concert "MGA MAGICAL 10 YEARS ANNIVERSARY LIVE ~FJORD~" at a special venue in Yamashita Pier, Yokohama. Both shows were scheduled to start at 6pm and end at 9pm, attracting approximately 50,000 people each, and attracting attention from both Japan and overseas. However, behind the scenes of the festive mood, intense bass sounds were shaking the night sky, and thousands of residents living in the surrounding area were flooded with complaints such as "our houses were shaking" and "it was so bad we couldn't sleep." On July 28th, the agency posted an apology on its official website saying, "We are sorry for the great inconvenience caused," and social media and the media unanimously took up the "noise flaming."

 

 

 

 

2. Mechanism behind noise problems

 

For this live concert, the organizers had conducted numerous simulations in advance to ensure that the sound volume met legally mandated standards and had even arranged the audience seats facing the ocean. However, on the day of the event, a combination of unavoidable circumstances occurred at the venue, causing the sound to spread over an unexpectedly wide area.

 

▪️ Changes in wind direction : The southern night wind blew the sound in an unintended direction.

 

▪️ Temperature inversion : Rapid radiative cooling at night caused the earth's surface to cool, causing the air above to become relatively warmer. Sound was reflected in the sky and returned to the earth's surface, increasing the distance it spread.

 

▪️ Deep bass characteristics :Long wavelength, low frequency sound easily goes around obstacles and is not easily attenuated, so it easily passed through the fences and buildings at the venue.

 

In this way, natural conditions and physical phenomena combined to exceed the organizers' careful preparations, resulting in damage that could be called not just sound leakage but "noise pollution."

 

 

 

 

3. Risk factors at the venue "Yamashita Pier"

Yamashita Pier is a great location with beautiful night views of the Minato Mirai area, but it is not ideal for outdoor music events.

 

Location characteristics of Yamashita Pier

Features	Content
Lack of cover	Surrounded by vast plains and ocean, there are almost no mountains or skyscrapers to absorb or diffuse sound.
Reflection on the water surface	The calm ocean surface reflects sound like a mirror and re-radiates it horizontally, creating an "acoustic mirror" effect.
Significant weather impact	An environment where natural factors such as ocean winds and temperature inversions can have a significant impact on sound propagation
Lack of precedent	There was no experience of holding an outdoor live concert with a capacity of 50,000 people, and the necessary acoustic data and risk assessments had not been accumulated.

 

Ironically, these factors combined to create a sense of scale and a beautiful landscape, which the organizers placed the greatest importance on, and ultimately became a major cause of the noise problem.

 

 

 

 

4. Complaints from residents and social media outrage

 

On the day of the concert, city hall and police received a flood of reports in Yokohama's Tsurumi and Kanagawa wards, including "window glass vibrating and rattling" and "the deep bass reverberating through one's body made one feel ill." Similar damage was also reported overseas in Kawasaki and Tokyo's Ota ward, and the hashtags "#Mrs.Noise" and "#YamashitaPier" trended on social media. Residents stepped up their criticism, demanding an apology and compensation, while some fans defended the concert, saying it "can't be helped since it was an outdoor concert," revealing a conflicting structure.

 

 

 

 

5. Responsibility for the organizers and management

The success of a large-scale event is supported by the cooperation of many companies and government agencies, but at the same time, it can easily become unclear who is responsible. The management structure for this event is estimated to be as follows:

 

role	Company name (estimated)	Main responsibilities
Organizer	Project-MGA	Deciding the overall concept and budget, acting as the liaison for administrative procedures, and overseeing contracts and crisis management as the final person responsible.
Planning and Production	Wonder Live Inc./Intergroove Productions Inc.	Concretely realizing creative aspects such as production design, stage art, and schedule
Management (performance)	SOGO TOKYO Co., Ltd.	Venue setup, sound and lighting equipment arrangements, security plans, neighborhood measures, and overall management on the day
cooperation	Yokohama City Port Bureau, Transportation Bureau, etc.	Venue permits, traffic regulations, coordination with public transport, advance notification to citizens

 

In particular, Sogo Tokyo Co., Ltd., which was responsible for the acoustic design and measures to prevent sound leakage around the fence, has been criticized for insufficient acoustic data and a lack of real-time adjustments on site, despite claiming that it had conducted multiple simulations in advance.

 

 

 

 

6. Scientifically explaining "Why only the deep bass was heard"

The noise problem appeared to be a "paranormal phenomenon" due to the combination of the following three major factors:

 

💡Geographic factors

The terrain, with no obstructions and allowing sound to travel in a straight line, acted like a "highway," minimizing sound energy attenuation.

 

💡 Meteorological factors

The southerly night wind, which acted as a tailwind, and the temperature inversion layer created by radiation cooling confined the sound near the ground, facilitating long-distance propagation.

 

💡Acoustic factors

Low-frequency sounds with long wavelengths are less likely to decay, so the subwoofer in a PA system amplifies a lot of deep bass sounds. While high-frequency sounds decay quickly in buildings and the air, only the deep bass sounds "survive" and reach the people.

 

These factors occurred simultaneously like a perfect storm, causing unpleasant vibration noise to be heard more than 10km away.

 

 

 

 

7. Legal Issues: Violation of Ordinances and Limits of Tolerance

Yokohama City's "Ordinance on the Preservation of Living Environments" stipulates that the noise limit in industrial areas is 65dB in the evening (5pm to 10pm) and 60dB at night (10pm to 6am). The concert ended at 9pm, but it is highly likely that deep bass noise exceeding 70dB was measured near the venue, raising strong suspicions of a violation of the ordinance.

 

Furthermore, legally, noise that exceeds the "tolerable limit" can be subject to tort (civil liability). When residents jointly claim sleep disturbance or health damage and seek compensation (compensation), the court will place emphasis on the following:

 

▪️The extent of the damage (physical and psychological effects)

▪️Noise duration (approximately 2 hours)

▪️Preliminary explanation and consideration

 

Taking all of this into consideration, it can be said that the risk of civil litigation against the organizers and operating companies is very high.

 

 

 

 

8. Preventing future recurrence

 

This noise outrage was not just a simple problem, but a textbook example of failure in running an urban outdoor event, and it has provided many insights. Going forward, the following measures are urgently needed:

 

✔️Detailed acoustic simulation

A complex analytical model incorporating weather forecasts is used to realistically simulate sound propagation under the weather conditions on the day.

 

✔️Real-time noise monitoring

Multiple noise meters have been installed around the venue, and a system has been introduced that automatically reduces PA output when the threshold is exceeded.

 

✔️Advance notification and compensation plan for residents

A map predicting the acoustic conditions will be released, and compensation measures such as the distribution of earplugs and accommodation coupons will be made clear to local residents expected to be affected.

 

✔️Apology as an artist

Even if the management company bears legal responsibility, the band itself should fulfill its social responsibility by apologizing in an official statement or on social media, and should lead the fan community appropriately.

 

It is my sincere hope that this incident will be remembered as a "mistake that must never be repeated" and that it will lead to the establishment of a sustainable event management model in which cities and entertainment can coexist.

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