Japanese government pays family of CFAY worker for mesothelioma death
The Japanese government was ordered to pay 76.84 million yen (over $800,000) to the family of Hitoshi Taima, a former mechanic at the U.S. Navy base at Yokosuka, also known as Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY). Taima died of mesothelioma at the age of 51.
Taima worked at the Navy base between 1977 and 1995, during which time he repaired and dismantled cooling equipment. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2006 and filed a lawsuit in May of the following year. He died only 10 days after filing his lawsuit. His family pursued the lawsuit following his death.
Presiding Judge Haruhiko Sakae of the Yokosuka branch of the Yokohama District Court rules that the Japanese government did not take necessary measures to ensure Taima’s safety, such as instructing him to wear protective clothing or a face mask. The court ruling acknowledged that Taima inhaled asbestos dust in his work as a mechanic and that his mesothelioma was a result of his asbestos exposure.
Similar lawsuits have been filed by approximately 40 other former workers from the same U.S. Navy base—others who developed mesothelioma or other serious illnesses as a result of their work. These lawsuits, which took place between 1999 and 2003, also resulted in compensation through court rulings and settlements.
For the full story, go to The Mainichi Daily News.
![[Information package]](http://www.mesotheliomanews.com/wp-content/themes/biromeso/images/infopack.jpg)
