July 12, 2023

A high concentration of harmful per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), 18 times greater than the maximum permissive level in Japan, was detected in the U.S. Navy Atsugi base (Ayase and Yamato cities in Kanagawa Pref.), the Kanagawa Prefectural government announced on July 10.

The prefectural government made this announcement based on a report received from the Defense Ministry regarding a leakage of PFAS-containing fire-extinguishing foams in the base in September 2022.

According to the report, in the leakage accident, about 7,000 liters of firefighting foams were discharged at the base. The report contained the results of a water sampling survey which was conducted one month after the accident at a retention pond on the base. Samples taken from two different locations at the pond showed that the combined PFOA/PFOS levels were 910 nanograms per liter at maximum, far exceeding the allowable national environmental limit of 50 nanograms per liter.

Japanese Communist Party Ayase City Assemblyperson Ueda Hiroyuki criticized the Defense Ministry for being overly slow in releasing the report. He demanded that the Defense Ministry and the prefectural government urge the U.S. military to take proper measures to prevent a recurrence.