Press Release
- Health & Chemicals
Results of the Medical Data Examination for Acknowledgment of Designated Diseases under the Asbestos Health Damage Relief Act
On September 8th, 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 Asbestos Health Damage Relief Act.
Based on the examination, 25 patients were determined to have contracted a designated disease (20 with mesothelioma and 5 with lung cancer caused by asbestos)* and 2 persons who died before the enforcement of this act were determined to have contracted mesothelioma*.
The Minister of the Environment will notify the ERCA of the results.
* The cumulative total of those determined to have contracted a designated disease as defined by the act is 1,769 (1,430 with mesothelioma and 339 with lung cancer caused by asbestos), and the cumulative total of those determined to have contracted a designated disease because of asbestos but who died before the enforcement of this act is 109 (3 with mesothelioma and 106 with lung cancer caused by asbestos).