According to the results of the investigation released by the citizen group "Exposing the Pollution of Organic Fluorine Compounds in the Tama Area", the blood test results of 650 residents living in the Tama area of Tokyo showed that organic fluorides were basically detected in the blood of these residents, and about half of them exceeded the standard. The citizen group stated that there is reason to believe that these residents ingested organic fluoride because the local tap water was polluted.

Organic fluorine compounds are a general term for various organic fluorine-containing compounds such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, which are widely used in various industrial products, such as foam fire extinguishing agents. Organic fluorides do not break down easily, and some of them have been shown to accumulate in the environment and in humans, causing health problems.

Koji Harada, an associate professor of environmental hygiene at Kyoto University who is in charge of blood tests and related research, said in an interview with a reporter from the main station that organic fluorides are highly polluting and difficult to decompose in nature, and they are easy to accumulate in the human body through groundwater and other channels, and cause damage to human health.

Koji Harada, associate professor of environmental health at Kyoto University: The higher the concentration of organic fluoride, the higher the risk of dyslipidemia. In addition, organic fluorides may also cause thyroid diseases, and high-risk hypertension during pregnancy may also be related to organic fluorides. The last thing to say is that organic fluorides are also carcinogenic.

Many local residents in Tama expressed the hope that the Japanese government can thoroughly investigate the source of pollution so that local residents can live with peace of mind.

Residents of the Tama area: I hope to pass on the relevant information to everyone, and I hope to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the pollution, so that the health of the children will not be affected.

Japanese expert: U.S. military base cannot escape ties

At present, the most suspected source of pollution is the Yokota base of the US military in the Tama area. It was previously reported that from 2010 to 2017, a large amount of foam fire extinguishing agents containing organic fluorides leaked into the soil at the Yokota Base. In addition, more than 30 water source wells in the Tama area have detected the problem of excessive organic fluoride. Koji Harada, an associate professor of environmental health at Kyoto University, said that a lot of external evidence points to the US base, and a more comprehensive and direct investigation is necessary.

Koji Harada, Associate Professor of Environmental Hygiene at Kyoto University: The Kadena base and Futenma base in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, as well as the Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture and the Misawa base in Aomori Prefecture, have detected organic fluorides around these bases. The fact that fire extinguishing agents containing organic fluorides are still being used at the Yokota base has been confirmed. Organic fluorides leach into the soil and thus enter the groundwater.

The fire extinguishing agents used by local governments and residents in Japan do not contain organic fluorine compounds. The US military aircraft stationed in Japan often catch fire during training, requiring the use of foam fire extinguishing agents, and the fire extinguishing agents they use contain carcinogenic organic fluorides, which will pollute the water sources near the base.

Ohami Shuji, head of the plaintiff team in the fifth Atsugi base noise lawsuit: According to the Japanese government, for example, the fire extinguishing agents used by the Yamato City Government in Kanagawa Prefecture do not contain organic fluorides. The US military bases stationed in Japan, including Okinawa bases, are using fire extinguishing agents containing organic fluorides.

Constrained by the Japan-US agreement, the Japanese people have "nowhere to complain"

In recent years, U.S. military bases stationed in Japan have repeatedly been exposed to discharge organic fluoride in Okinawa and other places, suspected of polluting soil and groundwater. In addition, the noise nuisance and aircraft safety issues of the US military bases stationed in Japan have also been frequently criticized. However, in view of the "Japan-US Status Agreement" between Japan and the United States, the Japanese people who continue to suffer losses can be said to have "nowhere to complain."

According to Japanese media reports in May last year, an internal document of the US Marine Corps showed that in 2016, organic fluorides 576 times higher than the current Japanese standard were detected in the Futenma base of the US military stationed in Okinawa Prefecture. The water source near the base extends to a local elementary school, and the polluted water may have leaked out. The Japanese government later admitted that although the Japanese government had known about this situation in 2018, it had not made it known to the outside world.

Also, in April 2020, Japanese media photographed a large amount of foam fire extinguishing agent in the river water of Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture.

In June 2021, the container used to store fire extinguishing agents at the Uruma City, the third largest city in Okinawa Prefecture, leaked due to days of heavy rain, and about 2,400 liters of water containing organic fluorides flowed out. It was not until 24 hours after the incident that the U.S. military notified the Okinawa prefectural government.

In September 2022, the foam fire extinguishing agent containing organic fluoride in the Atsugi base of the US military in Kanagawa Prefecture leaked into a nearby river.

Over the years, news about the pollution of surrounding water sources by US military bases stationed in Japan has been exposed frequently. However, according to the "Japan-US Status Agreement", the Japanese government has no right to enter the base for investigation and evidence collection without the consent of the US military. In the absence of specific details released by the US, the Japanese people have never been able to obtain evidence, and it is even more difficult to defend their rights.

Ishigooka Tadao, head of the Noise Prevention Alliance at the Atsugi U.S. Army Base: At present, we do not know how many fire extinguishing agents containing organic fluorides are in the U.S. Army Base in Japan.

Shuji Ohami, head of the plaintiff team in the fifth Atsugi base noise lawsuit: The U.S. military stationed in Japan refused our request to enter the base for investigation, so we have no way to investigate. It is too difficult to solve the problem of excessive organic fluoride in water sources.