About Asbestos Health Countermeasures at Sashigaya Nursery School
Updated February 16, 2024
Background
— Excerpt from the review committee report
On October 25, 1999, the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Exposure Health Countermeasures Review Committee was established. The committee clarified the causes of this situation, reviewed future measures, and reported to the city’s mayor on December 22, 2003.
Based on the report, the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee was established on March 31, 2004, and reviewed specific health countermeasures for the 149 subjects (children and staff members). As a result, on March 28, 2007, the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Health Countermeasures Implementation Guideline was established.
The city will steadily implement health countermeasures in accordance with this guideline.
Diseases That Bunkyo City Consider Asbestos Related
Based on the judgment of the expert committee and in accordance with the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Child Daycare Center Asbestos Health Countermeasures Implementation Outline, the following diseases has been classified as asbestos-related diseases:
・Malignant mesothelioma (pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, etc.)
・Lung cancer
・Benign asbestos pleurisy
・Diseases recognized by academic societies, etc. as possibly caused by asbestos
Diseases That Bunkyo City Does Not Consider Asbestos Related
Malignant Tumors
Along with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)—the World Health Organization’s cancer research institute—Bunkyo City does not recognize certain malignant tumors as asbestos-related malignant diseases.
Specifically, Bunkyo City does not consider brain tumors, pharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, biliary tract cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, skin cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, uterine cancer, leukemia, malignant lymphoma and the like to be asbestos-related malignant tumors. For information about other malignant tumors, please contact the Infant Division’s Infant Section.
Contact information for the Infant Division’s, Infant Section
Respiratory Diseases
Following the above recommendations stated in the internationally recognized Helsinki Criteria 1997 and Helsinki Criteria 2014, Bunkyo City also does not consider certain diseases to be benign asbestos-related respiratory diseases. Specifically, Bunkyo City does not consider bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), pneumonia (bacterial pneumonia, viral pneumonia), pulmonary tuberculosis, or atypical mycobacterial disease to be benign asbestos-related diseases.
Since the construction work at the nursery school that led to the asbestos exposure only took about two weeks, Bunkyo City does not consider asbestosis a benign asbestos-related disease, based on the conclusion of experts that asbestosis only develops in people with occupational exposure of at least one year.
For information about other benign respiratory diseases, please contact the Infant Division’s Infant Section.
Contact information for the Infant Division’s, Infant Section
If you have or may have an asbestos-related disease
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease at a medical institution, received a diagnosis such as “requires close examination,” or have received a confirmed diagnosis, please contact the Infant Division’s Infant Section as soon as possible.
Contact information for the Infant Division’s Infant Section
The city will hold an urgent meeting of the Radiographs and CT Photographs Reading Subcommittee of the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee. The city will also continue to hold urgent meetings of the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee. If necessary, we will also ask the medical institutions where a subject was diagnosed and/or is being treated to submit their medical reports so that we can immediately examine the relationship between the disease and exposure at Sashigaya Nursery School.
Designated medical institutions (CT imaging contractors approved by Bunkyo City) can also perform chest CT imaging at Bunkyo City’s expense, so please consult us on this.
If you want a specialist to review an X-ray or a CT scan
If you have a symptomatic disease and wish to have a doctor who specializes in asbestos-related diseases interpret the X-ray (CR, DR) you had taken at the medical institution where you were diagnosed, please contact the Infant Division’s Infant Section.
Contact information for the Infant Division’s, Infant Section
Please borrow X-rays (CR, DR) from the medical institution where you were diagnosed.
If you wish to have your images interpreted the evaluation committee will also evaluate you once a year.
Medical Examinations
Scheduled for July 2024
Starting in 2019, when former preschoolers will become adults, the city will conduct medical examinations as recommended by the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee.
Children and staff who were exposed to asbestos at Sashigaya Nursery School in 1999 are eligible for these examinations.
〇Schedule (subject to change)
June: Information sent by postal mail
July: Medical examinations (primary examination: X-ray)
August: Interpretation of X-rays taken during the primary examination
October: Secondary examination for those who need it (CT scan)
November: Interpretation of CT scan taken during the secondary examination
〇Exam details
Primary examination: Chest X-ray and interpretation
Secondary examination: Chest CT scan and interpretation (only for those determined to need this examination during the primary examination)
The city commissions medical institutions to take chest X-rays and CT scans, which are then interpreted by specialists in asbestos-related diseases by a subcommittee of the Expert Committee.
In addition, for those unable to take part in the examinations the city conducted and wish to submit chest X-rays or chest CT scans for interpretation, a specialist in asbestos-related diseases will assess them at a subcommittee meeting of the Expert Committee.
For inquiries, please contact the Infant Division’s Infant Section.
Note: If you require urgent interpretation, please contact the Infant Division’s Infant Section.
Asbestos Health Countermeasures Implementation Guideline
Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee
Establishment Guideline
The full text of the establishment guideline of the Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee, established on April 9, 2004, is available as a PDF file. (Revised on April 1, 2016)
Next Expert Committee meeting
（Last Time）56th Bunkyo City Sashigaya Nursery School Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee meeting
Date: Thursday,December 14, 2023
Venue: Online and in person
（Next Time）To be decided
Minutes for meetings in FY2023 and earlier
Asbestos Health Countermeasures Expert Committee News
Since the Expert Committee first met on April 9, 2004, the Committee News has been published to inform the people subject to health countermeasures about the committee’s decisions and provide the latest information on asbestos. This is also available to the public.
Click here for the Committee News
Health risk consultations and psychological consultations
（Last Time）Saturday,February 18, 2023
（Next Time）Saturday,March 16, 2024
Notes:
1. These consultations are intended for children who were exposed to asbestos at Sashigaya Nursery School in 1999 and their parents/guardians.
2. If you have any concerns, please contact the Infant Division’s Infant Section, regardless of the consultation schedule. The Expert Committee will respond promptly.
Inquiries
Infant Section, Infant Division
Bunkyo Civic Center 12F South Side
1-16-21 Kasuga, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 〒112-8555
Tel: 03-5803-1189
Fax: 03-5803-1346
