We reported in this study on a relationship between a change in air pollution and its influence on human body in Yokkaichi city.
By means of the national health insurance cards in 1970, 1973 and 1976, analysis was made not only of the correlation between the degree of pollution by district and visit rate to physician on diseases of respiratory organs but also of the influence by the social and economic factors such as density of popullation, size of family, density of medical institution and on-relief rate.
With the degree of polluton as observable presently (1976) in Yokkaichi city (the maximum concentration of sulfur trioxide radicals with pbo₂ method 0.68 mg/100 cm²/day, the amount of dustfall 6.4 tons/ km²/month), there was no influence of air pollution on acute respiratory diseases such as upper respiratory disease, common cold, acute bronchitis.
However, the correlation between chronic obstructive lung disease (bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema) and concentration of sulfur trioxide increases yearly, while visit rate to physician tends to rise in the district where the degree of pollution is higher.
Thus there is a need to continue further research and studies.

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A survey of air pollution and health effects was conducted by the Environment Agency in six communities of the Chiba, Osaka, and Fukuoka Prefectures. A cross-sectional survey was repeated each year beginning 1970 and running through 1974 to obtain data on the air pollution and health effects.
The major survey results were reported by JEA in 1977. This report publishes the major results and an interpretation of the results by the authors.
The survey subjects were about 400 women aged 30 years and over and about 100 men aged 60 years and over, randomly selected from each of the six communities. However, only results for women were discussed in this report. An average of 78.6% of the survey subjects were interviewed by means of the Japanese revision of British Medical Research Council's questionnaire and a respiratory function test (spirometry) was also performed on 84.4% to 38.3% of the survey subjects. The health examination was conducted in fall each year.
The degree of air pollution was measured for the eight kinds of air pollutants; SO₂ (conductometric), SO_x (sulfation rate by lead peroxide method), NO (Saltzman method), NO₂ (Saltzman method), NO_x(NO+NO₂), CO (nondispersive infrared absorption method), suspended particulate matters (SPM, gravimetric high volume method) and dust fall (dust jar or deposit gauge method). The air quality monitoring station was located within the study area or within distance of 5 kilometers from the center of the study area. The air quality monitoring time was not long enough in the earlier half of the five year period, especially in the first year when the measurement was initiated in October-November.

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