Tokyo govt to take steps against asbestos at Olympic venue

The Tokyo Metropolitan government will take “emergency counter-measures” after asbestos was found at the venue designated for the water polo event of the 2020 Olympics. According to Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun, the Tokyo government had found asbestos in fireproofing material sprayed on part of the structure supporting the Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Centers roof.

The organisers and the city government had discovered the material two years ago and then deemed the amount not to be large, in a stable condition and not accessible to the public and thus not considered harmful. However, the Tokyo government has since reviewed the assessment and decided to implement asbestos containment measures.

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Asbestos, a material used for fireproofing and insulation, has been known to cause several health problems, most notably cancer. Japanese construction industry regulations state that asbestos should be removed or covered up.