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

On April 20, the Minister of the Environment conducted a medical data examination for patients suffering from asbestos-related diseases in response to the requests filed by the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan (ERCA) based on the Act on Asbestos Health Damage Relief.

According to the examination, 39 patients were determined to have contracted designated diseases (36 as mesothelioma and 3 as lung cancer caused by asbestos), and 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 result.

* The cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases as defined by the Act is 839 (664 as mesothelioma and 175 as lung cancer caused by asbestos), and the number of those determined to have contracted lung cancer caused by asbestos but have died before the enforcement of this Act is 53.

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