January 9, 2010

A group of pollution victims and lawyers on January 8 held a meeting in Tokyo and renewed their determination to eradicate pollution and win the relief of pollution sufferers.

About 150 plaintiffs, their relatives, lawyers, and environmental experts took part in the meeting on behalf of air-pollution lawsuits pending throughout Japan, a lawsuit against a reclamation project of the Ariake Sea, and lawsuits against noise pollution caused by military aircraft.

Japanese Communist Party members of the House of Representatives Kasai Akira and Yoshii Hidekatsu gave speeches in solidarity.

Nishi Junji, a representative of the plaintiffs’ group of the Tokyo air-pollution lawsuit, stressed the significance of their movement, saying, “Thanks to our long struggle, we successfully forced the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to establish a system to provide aid in medical expenses for asthma patients and helped set the environmental criteria on air pollutant particles.

This year, an asbestos lawsuit in Osaka seeking state compensation and a lawsuit on the drug-induced damage caused by the anti-lung cancer medication Iressa are expected to reach judgment. Participants renewed their determination to work to increase public awareness and grassroots movements to win in these lawsuits along with a lawsuit on the Minamata disease caused by mercury contamination of water.
- Akahata, January 9, 2010