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

On April 21, the Minister of the Environment, based on the Act on Asbestos Health Damage Relief, 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 examination, 38 patients were determined to have contracted a designated disease (35 with mesothelioma and 3 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.

* A cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases as defined by the act is 1,485 (1,193 with mesothelioma and 292 with lung cancer caused by asbestos) and a cumulative total of those determined to have contracted designated diseases by asbestos but who died before the enforcement of this act is 95 (1 with mesothelioma and 94 with lung cancer caused by asbestos).

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