'Mrs Noisy' gets a year in prison

Tokyo: A woman who made herself a minor celebrity in Japan by constantly screaming insults at passers-by and blaring out music while beating bedding on her balcony, was sentenced to a year in jail on Friday for causing physical harm.

Miyoko Kawahara, 59, kept up the assault on her neighbours' eardrums daily over a period of two and a half years, forcing at least one nearby resident to seek treatment for insomnia and headaches.

A court in the western city of Nara sentenced the woman who became known nationally as Mrs Noisy to a year in prison, saying she had shown no repentance for her actions.

Kawahara is likely to be released in about three months, after consideration for time already served. "I am worried about what will happen when she comes back," a neighbour said.