Society

Top court holds state liable for asbestos damage

May 17 (NHK) - Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that the state and building material makers are liable for health damage suffered by construction workers who developed lung diseases caused by asbestos.

The top court on Monday handed down rulings on four claims for damages filed with district courts in Yokohama, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka by former construction workers and their bereaved families. This is the first such ruling by the Supreme Court on damage claims related to asbestos.

The plaintiffs say the former workers developed lung cancer, mesothelioma and other illnesses after inhaling asbestos at construction sites.

Presiding Justice Miyama Takuya of the top court said that the state government should have given guidance by 1975 about the risks of using asbestos at construction sites and the need for workers to wear dust-proof masks.

The ruling came after more than 1,200 affected workers and their surviving families filed lawsuits across Japan for damages against the state and manufacturers since 2008.

Every year, about 500 to 600 construction workers qualify for industrial accident compensation insurance for diseases caused by asbestos.

The latest decision by the top court is expected to influence relief plans under consideration by the government.

Source: Kyodo

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