This study stresses the importance of institutional design and analysis. The paper first addresses the important aspects of risk governance which are the continuous internal/external review process; the consideration of how the principles of governance are embedded; The need for evidence based policy making and the importance of the governance of governance (meta-governance). It then reviewes the institutional changes over the past ten years of Japanese food safety governance. Finally, it explores the possible factors that should to be taken into account in the future food safety governance system in terms of (1) the institutional design - how the food chain approach and the relationship between risk assessment and risk management is institutionalized and how the meta-governance perspective is ensured, and (2) the decision making process - the importance of moving towards cycle/spiral gevernance model away from the traditional linear model, together with the need for a more evidence-based decision making by embedding regulatory impact assessment and joint fact-finding in the system.

View full abstract

The Food Safety Commission of Japan (FSCJ) was founded in 2003 to secure food safety in Japan. Risk assessment, especially for our daily food, is an important issue for most countries. Commemorating the 10th anniversary of FSCJ, it is my aim to compare its activities with those organizations of other countries, i.e., USA, EU, Germany, England, Australia and New Zealand. My special emphasis is placed at the need of speediness and fairness of the process, and cooperation with all stakeholders including industries.

View full abstract

This article introduces a concept of “solution-focused risk assessment (SFRA)” to propose a specific vision of collaboration between risk assessors and risk managers. SFRA can evaluate the risk reduction outcome and cost-effectiveness of possible risk management options (solutions). The opening question should not be “How bad is the problem?” but “How good are the solutions we might apply?”, because we can think about solutions before we fully understand the problem (risk). The needs of SFRA were discussed by taking risk management deficits regarding radioactive substances in food as an example. Then, the pros and cons of SFRA were discussed. The notable benefit of SFRA is giving stakeholders opportunities to understand the possible solutions. After that, the history of functional separation of risk assessment and management was reviewed. Finally, some specific examples of application of solution-focused risk assessment were given from dichloromethane as paint remover, acrylamide in food, mercury in fish, and ecological risk by pesticide use.

View full abstract

Law Concerning the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. in Japan is the world’s first notification legislation. This law has been amended three times since it entered into force in 1973. This report evaluates the efficacy of the main three amendments-whether the use of chemicals in Japan has become safer? whether the risks from substances restricted by the amendments have decreased? - This report concludes that while some more detailed examinations are needed, the amendments have had good effectiveness. It is expected that the smarter chemicals legislation results in the better implementation and the best practice by chemical industries.

View full abstract

We conducted a questionnaire survey among 1500 citizens to investigate the factors and functions of food.related risk literacy in relation to reflective cognitive style, critical thinking attitude, educational background, knowledge of risks, and scientific literacy. On basis of the data gathered and using structural equation modeling, we created a causal model of food-related risk literacy. Participants’ deliberative thinking styles and educational backgrounds had a direct effect on their critical thinking attitude. Critical thinking attitude affected scientific literacy and knowledge of food-related risks, which in turn, affected media literacy. The data suggest that critical thinking attitude is important for improving scientific and media literacy about food-related risks as it serves a mediator for the effects of reflective cognitive style and educational background.

View full abstract

The risk trade-off analysis was performed for the emission reduction countermeasures of the chlorinated solvent used as the industrial cleaners. The substitution of cleaners from chlorinated solvent to other kinds of cleaners - such as hydrocarbon-type and aqueous cleaners- and the installation of cleaners recovery unit were analyzed. Human health risk due to inhalation exposure via atmospheric environment and ecological risk of aquatic environment were evaluated. The change of risk and the cost for each emission reduction measure were quantified. The possibility that human health risk increase slightly was indicated, when dichloromethane (chlorinated-type cleaner) is substituted to n-decane (hydrocarbon-type cleaners). The costs per life year saved (CPLYS) by each scenario were estimated to be ranged from 0.6 billion yen to 1,100 billion yen. Increment of ecological risk estimated for the scenario that chlorinated-type cleaner was substituted to aqueous cleaner is much lower than the risk for baseline scenario. Although occupational exposure, fire risk, washing performance, and neighborhood exposure were not considered in this analysis, they may become important factors in the decision-making process regarding actual countermeasures. It became clear that appropriate scoping of the analysis and the selection of the risk to be analyzed are important in any risk trade-off analysis.

View full abstract

This paper reports the case study result of human health risk assessment of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). This assessment is equivalent to Assessment I (MAI) and Assessment II (MA II) in the First-Stage Assessment for Japanese Chemical Substances Control Law (Kashin-ho law). We assessed the health risk by the MA I, and MA II taking the real emission sources into consideration. The results of MAI showed that 11 prefectures had the risk concern in Japan. In the MA II, using 5km² mesh model, no prefectures were identified as an area with risk concern. However, two prefectures were identified as a risk concerned area with 1km² mesh model, and only one place in each prefecture showed the risk. The maximum estimated human exposure value (0.0368mg/kg/day) was about twice the health hazard assessment value (0.0185mg/kg/day). And, each of the area was very small (1km²). We concluded that this method is considered to be a candidate of an effective method for Assessment II.

View full abstract

This study investigates the perceived risk and regulatory preferences of mothers regarding mobile phone technology as a tumor promoting factor. We conducted an online survey, with 10,249 mothers of primary schoolchildren as participants. The results show that mothers perceived mobile phones as low risk and high benefit. They had few concerns about regulatory responses. The cognitive map indicates that participants perceived the risk of mobile phone as “unknown” and “moderately dreadful” as they did the risks associated with coffee and fluorescent light. Preference for the regulation of children’s mobile phone use is determined by the perceived risk level, number of people exposed, mothers’ employment status, and children’s ages. We suggest that mothers accept their children’s mobile phone use based on their perception that the use has a high benefit and low risk.

View full abstract