Results of Medical Data Examination for Acknowledgment of Designated Diseases under the Act on Asbestos Health Damage Relief

On December 13, the Minister of the Environment conducted a medical data examination for patients suffering from asbestos-related diseases in response to requests filed by the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan (ERCA) based on the Act on Asbestos Health Damage Relief.

Based on the examination, 34 patients were determined to have contracted a designated disease (30 with mesothelioma and 4 with lung cancer caused by asbestos)* and 1 person who died before the enforcement of this act was determined to have contracted lung cancer caused by asbestos*.

The Minister of the Environment will notify the ERCA of the result.

* A cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases as defined by the Act is 1,259 (1003 with mesothelioma and 256 with lung cancer caused by asbestos), and a cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases from asbestos but have died before the enforcement of this Act is 82 (1 with mesothelioma and 81 with lung cancer caused by asbestos).

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