Labor Minister Hidehisa Otsuji (center) inspects a ceiling in a Tokyo building from which asbestos was removed July 26.

However, the government introduced no specific measures until 1989, when it started to control airborne asbestos under the air pollution control law.

Some critics say the government's prolonged inaction may have contributed to the widespread health damage recently made public.

The study panel, under the old Environment Agency, produced a report saying, "It has been assessed that families of workers at asbestos-related facilities and people living near such plants are exposed to relatively large amounts of asbestos, and there is a need to promote systematic activities immediately" to deal with the problem.

It said measures should be taken to control the spread of asbestos in the air.

The study group, comprised of doctors, minerals experts and researchers of industrial health at the then Labor Ministry, assessed asbestos as an air pollutant in urban areas.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 30, 2005
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