An article titled, “Laws Governing Asbestos Exposure in Building Construction and Demolition Work, and Constructors’ Liability,” written by Kenji Sarukura, was posted on the official website, “Change from Here,” of AIG General Insurance Company, Ltd.
https://www.aig.co.jp/kokokarakaeru/management/reparation-risk/construction08
“Laws Governing Asbestos Exposure in Building Construction and Demolition Work, and Constructors’ Liability”
1. Increasing risks related to asbestos used in buildings
2. Amendments to asbestos-related laws and regulations
(1) Overview of laws and regulations
(2) Major changes in the 2020 Amendments to the Air Pollution Control Act and the Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment due to Asbestos
(3) Subcontractors’ responsibilities
(4) Penal provisions for violations
3. Legal risks for constructors stemming from the dispersal of asbestos in construction/demolition work
(1) Penal provisions for violation of asbestos-related laws and regulations
(2) Legal liability to building owners, residents, etc.
(3) Legal liability to construction workers
4. Actions to be required in the future and matters to note
According to the announcement by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, there has been a rapid increase in the number of demolitions of buildings in which asbestos-containing materials are used (approximately 60,000 buildings in 2018), the number is projected to reach its peak in 2028 (amounting to approximately 100,000 buildings), and so the number of demolitions, etc., of buildings using asbestos-containing materials is expected to keep increasing (with approximately 70,000 buildings even in 2038).
