A Nov. 29 Cabinet ministerial meeting adopted a draft legislation for compensating people suffering asbestos-linked health problems.

The government has been considering providing ¥2.6 million in compensation to each surviving family who will not fall under the law when it takes effect, because their relatives died before its enactment. New Komeito, the governing Liberal-Democratic Party's coalition partner, wants to raise the amount of compensation.

Other details the government has yet to iron out include how much financial responsibility local governments or companies involved should bear, ranging from covering medical care to funeral service charges.

According to the outline, adopted at a meeting of Cabinet ministers, the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency will also establish a relief fund, with the central and local governments and all private companies contributing to it to partly finance the benefits.

Companies that have handled asbestos and caused health problems will be required to make additional contributions to the fund.

The asbestos issue came into the spotlight again this year, in late June, when machinery maker Kubota Corp. said 79 employees had died of illnesses believed caused by asbestos exposure. Kubota said some relatives of the employees and residents living near the factories had developed such illnesses, spurring a flurry of similar announcements from other companies.

In another development, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said 586 facilities under its supervision may have asbestos particles in the air and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said separately asbestos use has been confirmed at 6,617 facilities owned by municipal governments, including schools and community centers, but they have taken no steps to deal with asbestos, including removal.

The Japan Times Weekly: Dec. 3, 2005
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