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

On August 25th, 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, 26 patients were determined to have contracted a designated disease (16 with mesothelioma and 10 with lung cancer caused by asbestos)* and 9 patients were also determined to have contracted such a disease but died before application for relief based on the law (8 with mesothelioma and 1 with lung cancer caused by asbestos)*. One 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 results.

* The cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases as defined by the act is 2,389 (1,903 with mesothelioma and 486 with lung cancer caused by asbestos), and the cumulative total of those who have determined to have contracted designated diseases but died before the application for relief based on the law is 62 (53 with mesothelioma and 9 with lung cancer caused by asbestos). The cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases by asbestos but who died before the enforcement of this act is 130 (4 with mesothelioma and 126 with lung cancer caused by asbestos).

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