Yuji Natori

According to medical experts, it is the first case in Japan where someone has contracted a disease from asbestos exposure in a regular environment instead of at or around an industrial facility.

The man died at age 70 after suffering mesothelioma. Fibers of blue asbestos -- considered extremely toxic -- were found in his lungs.

A lawyer for his family said that they are seeking compensation from the company that managed the store.

The asbestos density in the shop's air was much lower than at sites such as asbestos plants.

Yuji Natori, a doctor at a clinic in Koto Ward, Tokyo, that studied the case, said he estimated that in a similar environment only one in tens or hundreds of thousands of people may come down with a disease such as mesothelioma.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 27, 2005
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