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

On December 22nd, 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, 45 patients were determined to have contracted a designated disease (37 with mesothelioma and 8 with lung cancer caused by asbestos)* and 4 persons who died before the enforcement of this act were determined to have contracted lung cancer caused by asbestos*.

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

* The cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases as defined by the act is 2,002 (1,611 with mesothelioma and 391 with lung cancer caused by asbestos), and the cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases by asbestos but who died before the enforcement of this act is 120 (4 with mesothelioma and 116 with lung cancer caused by asbestos).

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