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

On March 23rd, the Minister of the Environment conducted a medical data examination of 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, 32 patients were determined to have contracted a designated disease (25 with mesothelioma and 7 with lung cancer caused by asbestos)* and 3 patients were also determined to have contracted a designated disease, but died before application for relief based on the law (3 with mesothelioma)*.

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 2,159 (1,727 with mesothelioma and 432 with lung cancer caused by asbestos), and the cumulative total of those who were determined to have contracted designated diseases but died before the application for relief based on the law is 7 (5 with mesothelioma and 2 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 125 (4 with mesothelioma and 121 with lung cancer caused by asbestos).

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