Asbestos sufferers file 6.6 billion yen class action suit

Tokyo, Japan - An asbestos class action suit seeking 6.6 billion yen (roughly $444 million US) was filed against the government and manufacturers on Friday.

The suit was filed by 178 construction workers and family members of deceased workers over illnesses caused by asbestos exposure. It was filed in Tokyo District Court and names 46 building companies along with the Government of Japan.

According to the suit, it is claimed that the government and manufacturers were aware of the dangers associated with exposure but did not take needed actions such as stopping the promotion of the deadly substance for commercial use and banning its production in the country. As a result, the plaintiffs state that 172 individuals have developed an asbestos-related cancer and nearly half of them have already died from it.

In 2005, a starting discovery was made that residents who lived near a factory were being diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses. Although the government provided monetary assistance to sufferers and their relatives, the plaintiffs of the suit argue that the amount given was not sufficient.

Governmental agencies blamed in the suit include the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport which approved the use of asbestos and asbestos-containing products.

The plaintiffs' lawyers said they want the government and manufacturers to be held accountable for their actions or lack thereof relating to the asbestos sufferers' exposure.

The plaintiffs hail from prefectures Tokyo, Chiba, and Saitama. About 40 construction workers from Kanagawa Prefecture are expected to file a similar suit next month.

To receive a FREE Mesothelioma Web information packet** or to make a request, please fill out the following form :

**For a FREE information packet including treatments, clinical trials, and specialists, please complete the form above or call a Mesothelioma Web coordinator at 1-877-367-6376.

News

Resources

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here

If you would like to receive a FREE information packet or have questions about mesothelioma, call us at:

Toll-Free 1-877-367-6376