The Settsu City Council in Osaka Prefecture has united to take measures against PFOA contamination caused by Daikin Industries.

On October 29, 2025, the council unanimously passed a statement of opinion to Osaka Prefecture calling for the implementation of a PFOA health survey of residents and for cooperation with Daikin to carry out this survey.

Although Osaka Prefecture has the authority to supervise and guide Daikin, it has been in collusion with the company and has not taken the necessary measures.

However, concerns about PFAS contamination are growing nationwide, following the discovery of contaminated tap water in Kibichuo Town, Okayama Prefecture. The Settsu City Council has seized on this opportunity.

A bipartisan group including the LDP, Komeito, Communist Party, Constitutional Democratic Party, and Osaka Restoration Party

The opinion was submitted by a bipartisan group consisting of the Conservative Citizens’ Association (LDP and independents), Komeito, the Communist Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, and Osaka Restoration Party, and was voted in favor by all 18 city council members except for the chairman.

The council wrote, “The city council requests that Osaka Prefecture take the following measures to address the concerns of the prefecture’s residents,” and made four requests.

1. Measure blood concentrations of PFAS through blood tests and conduct epidemiological surveys and analyses.

 

2. Understand health status using statistical data and spread information.

 

3. Use of experts in health research.

 

4. Collaborate with related organizations such as Settsu City and Daikin Industries to conduct health surveys.

Settsu City had extraordinarily high levels of PFOA in 2020, 36 times the national guideline, according to a nationwide survey of PFOA carried out by the Ministry of the Environment. The Yodogawa Plant of Daikin Industries in the city was the cause of the contamination.

Osaka Prefecture has supervisory authority over Daikin, and when the issue of PFOA contamination caused by the Yodogawa Plant was debated in the Diet, the Minister of the Environment stated that “Osaka Prefecture should handle the issue.”

However, Osaka Prefecture has not taken any countermeasures, showing no enthusiasm at all.

Then, in October 2023, contamination of tap water in Kibichuo Town, Okayama Prefecture, was discovered, raising concern about PFAS contamination nationwide.

The Ministry of the Environment published the “PFAS Handbook” in March 2025. The handbook states the following:

“In areas where concerns about the health effects of PFOS and PFOA are being raised, it is desirable for local governments in charge of local health to grasp the health status of the area, using existing statistics on health indicators, and spread information to local residents as part of their local health activities.”

The Settsu City Council’s written opinion, which references the contents of the handbook and urges Osaka Prefecture to take action, will be submitted to Osaka Prefecture under Article 99 of the Local Autonomy Act.

(Originally published in Japanese on October 30, 2025. Translation by Mana Shibata.)

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