The Present Situation and Future Perspectives of the Management of Chemicals in Japan

Objectives: During the scientific revolution era, many chemicals have been used in the work places and released into the environment. In this review, we intend to summarize the legislation for the management of chemicals in Japan and discuss the future perspectives with regard to precautionary principles for hazardous chemicals. Methods: We searched the articles related to the management and legislation of the chemicals. We also obtained the various documents which have been published from the Japanese Government. Results and Conclusions: In Japan, the annual quantity of discharge of certain chemicals has been reported based on the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) law. The European Commission has proposed a new system called REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) to achieve the overriding goal of risk reduction. In the light of occupational health, risk assessment of chemical toxicity and exposure should be promoted in order to preserve workers' health. Due to the ever-increasing use of synthetic chemicals, it is necessary for all parties to clarify their responsibilities to reduce occupational risks. (San Ei Shi 2010; 52: 157-171)