The JFE Steel Corp. plant in Chiba Prefecture.

In one case, the amount of cyanide was about 76 times higher than the legal limit.

For years, the company falsified data on the quality of the discharged water to make them look as if the levels of pollutants were below the limits set under the Water Pollution Control Law. It said it submitted the bogus reports to the prefecture and the city of Chiba.

JFE Steel has agreements with the prefecture and the city on the prevention of pollution.

The Japan Coast Guard noticed in late December that seawater near the plant had turned milky, and confirmed that the water had a high alkalinity level. It suspects the steelmaker violated the law.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 12, 2005
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