Japan finds toxic industrial chemicals above limits at 629 water monitoring sites

TOKYO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Japan detected excessive levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at hundreds of water quality monitoring sites nationwide in fiscal 2024, according to a recent survey released by the Ministry of the Environment.

The nationwide water quality survey, covering April 2024 to March 2025, found PFAS levels exceeding national standards at 629 monitoring points across 26 prefectures. The survey tested 3,941 locations across the country's 47 prefectures, including rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and groundwater.

The highest reading was recorded in Kumatori Town in Osaka Prefecture, where groundwater at one site contained 73,000 nanograms of PFAS per liter -- about 1,460 times Japan's national limit. Another site in Okayama Prefecture detected 72,000 nanograms per liter in a river sample.

Many of the monitoring sites with elevated PFAS levels were located near factories, U.S. military bases, or Self-Defense Forces facilities, according to Kyodo News. The environment ministry, however, did not disclose detailed information about the specific locations of the monitoring sites.

PFAS is the collective term for a large group of fluorinated compounds, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which are widely used in industrial products.

Often referred to as "forever chemicals" due to their persistence, some PFAS compounds can accumulate in the environment and in the human body and have been linked to health risks.

Japan's guideline limits the combined concentration of PFOS and PFOA in water to no more than 50 nanograms per liter.