Refusing to investigate the sources of pollution, the US military base in Japan is suspected of "poisoning" Tama | region | base
Several Japanese media reported on the 9th that high concentrations of "permanent chemicals" were detected in the blood of residents in the Tama area of Tokyo. Experts said that the nearby US military Yokota base may be the source of pollution.
High concentrations of "permanent chemicals" detected in the blood of some residents in Tokyo
Takagi Sasako has lived in the Tama area near Tokyo for over 40 years, and her recent blood tests have really taken her by surprise. The blood test results showed that the concentrations of perfluorinated and perfluoroalkyl substances in her blood were quite high.
Perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances are widely used in a variety of industrial products such as foam extinguishing agents. Due to their difficulty in degradation and accumulation in the environment and human body, these chemicals are commonly referred to as "permanent chemicals" or "zombie chemicals".
According to multiple Japanese media reports, a citizen group in Japan conducted blood tests on 650 residents in the region from November 2022 to March 2023. The final results released on the 8th showed that the average concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid in the blood of 650 people were 10.8 nanograms and 3.8 nanograms per milliliter of blood, respectively. The total average concentration of these two substances is about 2.4 times the national average in Japan.
Japanese expert: Yokota base of the US military may be a source of pollution
Japanese experts point out that the main reason for the high concentration of perfluorinated and perfluoroalkyl substances in the blood of residents in the Tama region is the pollution of tap water in the area, which may be caused by the nearby US military Yokota base. From a geographical perspective, these water plants are all located on the east side of the US military's Yokota base, with lower terrain and downstream of groundwater runoff in the area.
Associate Professor Hiroshi Harada at Kyoto University
The concentration of such chemicals in the bodies of residents who usually use tap water in the Tama region is relatively high, and formal investigations must be conducted by the central administrative organs and local autonomous governments.
Long term consumption of water containing excessive levels of organic fluorine compounds poses significant risks
According to the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Water Company, the water quality inspection results in the Tama area show that at least two water purification facilities have purified tap water with concentrations of organic fluorine compounds that are 2 to 3 times the relevant standard values.
Studies have shown that long-term consumption of water containing excessive levels of organic fluorine compounds may lead to blood diseases, enteritis, and even cancer in adults. These harmful substances pose a greater threat to children, potentially leading to asthma, thyroid hormone disorders, and incomplete brain development.
Multiple US military bases in Japan have been exposed to water pollution scandals
It is not only the Yokota base of the US military that has caused water pollution problems. According to Japanese media reports, similar news has been reported near multiple US military bases throughout Japan. Fire often occurs in the training of American military aircraft, and foam fire extinguishing agent is needed. The fire extinguishing agent used by American troops stationed in Japan contains carcinogenic fluoride, which will pollute the water sources near the base.
In September 2022, Kanagawa County said that the foam fire extinguishing agent containing organic fluorine compounds in the thick wood base of the US military located in the county leaked to the nearby river.
The fifth noise lawsuit against the Thick Wood Base, led by the plaintiff's team leader, Xiuji Ohba
When the US military stationed in Japan caught fire at the base, the fire extinguishing agent used contained harmful fluorides. The Japanese government, for example, the fire extinguishing agents used by the Yamato Municipal Government, are free of harmful fluorides. The use of fire extinguishing agents in US military bases is not publicly disclosed, and US military bases in Japan, including those in Okinawa, are using fire extinguishing agents containing toxic fluorides.
The foam extinguishing agent used by the US military or the main cause of water pollution
In April 2020, the Ryukyu News photographed that a large amount of foam extinguishing agent appeared in the river water in Iyewan City, Okinawa County, and the foam even floated into the air with the wind. The figure below shows that a large amount of foam flowed out of the Futenma base of the US military stationed in Japan, which could not be effectively removed due to too much foam.
The US military base in Japan has brought a large amount of pollution, but the public's resistance has been unsuccessful
Tokyo News reported that both Japan and the United States have a negative attitude towards identifying contaminated water. In recent years, the Japanese people and local governments have continuously demanded entry into US military bases to thoroughly investigate the sources of organic fluoride pollution. The US military has used the exclusive jurisdiction granted to the US military stationed in Japan by the Japan US Status Agreement to create obstacles for investigating the sources of pollution.
The fifth noise lawsuit against the Thick Wood Base, led by the plaintiff's team leader, Xiuji Ohba
We need to enter the US military base in Japan to investigate the situation of fire extinguishing agents, and various investigations must be conducted to prove that the US military base in Japan is a source of pollution. But the US military stationed in Japan refused our request to enter the base for investigation, so we have no way to investigate. So it's too difficult to solve the problem of excessive toxic fluoride in water sources.
