PFAS chemicals detected in 20% of Japanese tap water in gov't survey

PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, used in various products such as non-stick cookware and water-repellent clothing, are known as "forever chemicals" because they have components which break down very slowly over time

… three water utilities in Aichi Prefecture, Nagasaki Prefecture, and Hokkaido were found to have between 47 to 49 nanograms of the chemicals

Would like to hear exactly how these “forever chemicals” are getting into Japan’s drinking water, particularly in places like Hokkaido.

Don't worry tap water in Japan are drinkable, now you'll get PFAS as a bonus.

Would like to hear exactly how these “forever chemicals” are getting into Japan’s drinking water, particularly in places like Hokkaido.

Doing tourism in those places, good luck most of restaurant they just use tap water directly as their water source. I bet those sushi, nabe, udon and soba are delicious.

from disposable food packaging, furniture, carpet, cook wear.

human new absorption is declining since manufacturers have been moving away from using them.

What could be the cause of increasing infertility amongst Japanese-the correlation could be PFAS?

So, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and "Tokyo Water" turned out to not honest be any measure of what any qualified tester of tap water said... How convenient.

Locations please! Or at least the worst locations.

human new absorption is declining since manufacturers have been moving away from using them

I do not think so as this is a forever chemical, even if it spreads furthermore in the environment.

The very good movie Dark Waters released in 2019 relates well the story of the PFOA chemical and the fight to make the chemical company DuPont de Nemours , that developed the chemical, responsible for the damages caused at that time.

kurisupisuToday  07:06 am JST

What could be the cause of increasing infertility amongst Japanese-the correlation could be PFAS?

not really known.

environmental factors in reduced fertility include chlorinated water, endocrine disrupters, residual pcb’s, pesticides on fruit and vegetables (specific effect on males), herbicides, bpa, increased diabetes rates.

I hardly ever drink water except in the middle of summer. Tea, coffee, beer and the odd glass of wine are my hydration. Of course the tea and coffee use tap water, but I haven't had straight water all week. Just not a fan.

Minamata all over again but on a wider scale. Drink it.

though no samples contained the maximum permissible amount tentatively set by the government

How convenient, just the right amount so the government doesn't need to do a crap about it.

We order our water. It's supposed to be natural spring water, however, I'm not confident it's not tap water

I hardly ever drink water except in the middle of summer. Tea, coffee, beer and the odd glass of wine are my hydration. 

does not change much, pfas will be in your tea , coffee, etc

Maybe the only way to escaped is too drink water pumped deeply from underground aquifers that have not been contaminated

If you live in an industrialized are chances not only your drinking water in contaminated bit the AIR you breath, the SOIL you walk on, the Fish you eat, The vegetables you consume, the playground your kids play in, just about every thing you touch and or consume is contaminated as the air will carry it all around you.

So if you made it passed 70 you are lucky so far, now start planning for the golden years Far Away from all this POISON.

I never drink tap water, even while traveling I’d rather order bottled or canned drinks. Quality of water can seriously deter your digestive system and it varies drastically depending on the locations.

"" We order our water. It's supposed to be natural spring water, however, I'm not confident it's not tap water ""

All water supplied by these companies comes from local springs then some gets treated and filtered , it is NO DIFFERENT than you tap water except now you PAY MORE $$$ for the filtering which may or may not do the job, I suggest you visit the place where your water comes from and see for yourself if they LET YOU,

Okinawa has been talking about this for over a decade only to fall on deaf ears in Tokyo. It has only now become a thing because the folks in mainland are now directly affected. Even in this article there's no mention of how serious it is on Okinawa.

dbsaiyaToday  09:00 am JST

Okinawa has been talking about this for over a decade only to fall on deaf ears in Tokyo. It has only now become a thing because the folks in mainland are now directly affected. Even in this article there's no mention of how serious it is on Okinawa.

yes, you’re right. it was used as a fire retardant at the air bases and improperly handled and disposed of, and then lied about.

Any US base ...they use it as a flame retardant and just hose it down the drain as they have no oversight from local bodies....

 I suggest you visit the place where your water comes from

I'm not concerned enough to make the effort

Personally, been drinking strictly bottled water, which is easily and reasonably delivered by the case by all the largest retailers, since Fukushima Daiichi.

Furthermore, almost never drink anything using tap water outside the home. It's the same for my family.

Why take chance? The other option available to all is to boil your water. Health is wealth!

Any US base ...they use it as a flame retardant and just hose it down the drain as they have no oversight from local bodies....

This information was mentioned a couple of times in the news but otherwise suppressed.

@Asiaman7

So many things contain these chemicals; lipstick, tampons, yoga pants, nylons and your cell phone.

And the source doesn't need to be local as rainwater, virtually everywhere contains PFAS. They are everywhere and now in everything, they are very mobile.

I don't drink tap water! My drinking/cooking water is collected from a mountain spring!

NHK map can be found here by searching for- “PFAS汚染” 全国マップ(河川・地下水等 令和4年度)

What is are the best tap water filters that can be home installed, does anyone knows?

Filtration, ask Chat GPT, probably depends on nature of the risks. Influence of radiation very hard to filter fyi!

Most wealthier types use several systems, larger one on main waterline and smaller units in their kitchen etc. Top end mansions in Japan also filter their main water lines.

Probably best to just trust a well-run drinking water provider to test and filter their water, as their business goodwill depends upon it.

Would like to hear exactly how these “forever chemicals” are getting into Japan’s drinking water, particularly in places like Hokkaido.

Rain jackets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ht7nOaIkpI

An article designed to elicit panic and hits.

If you really try you will find tiny microscopic amounts of nearly everything in tap water. Arsenic, medical drugs and dog dirt. Along with tiny creepy crawlies. Don't worry... You will be just fine.

https://apjjf.org/2020/16/jmitchell

PFAS Contamination from US Military Facilities in Mainland Japan and Okinawa

Good read for those interested in a major contributor to PFAS contamination in Japan

One of the reasons, is right under our nose:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10438898/#S9

Geeter Mckluskie

We order our water. It's supposed to be natural spring water, however, I'm not confident it's not tap water

PFAS might still be in there. It is a terrible problem, and it will get worse, the more governments are pushing the "green" agenda. Lithium batteries and solar panels are full of PFAS and are hard to recycle, if at all.

JJEToday  07:23 am JST

So, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and "Tokyo Water" turned out to not honest be any measure of what any qualified tester of tap water said... How convenient.

You really should be worrying about water quality in your own country first.

In Japan

Quality Standards: Japan has strict regulations for water quality, including checks for over 50 chemical and microbiological contaminants.

Treatment and Infrastructure: The country's advanced water treatment systems ensure high-quality drinking water that meets global safety standards.

Availability: Tap water is safe to drink in nearly all areas, including rural regions.

Perception: Japanese people widely trust and consume tap water.

In China

Quality Standards: While China has improved its water standards, compliance with regulations can be inconsistent across regions.

Pollution Concerns: Industrial pollution and outdated water infrastructure in some areas can lead to contamination.

Boiling Practices: Many people in China boil tap water before drinking it, indicating concerns about its safety.

Urban vs. Rural Divide: Urban areas often have better water quality compared to rural regions, where contamination risks are higher.

Conclusion

Japan's tap water is consistently clean and safe across the country, while China's tap water safety varies significantly depending on location and infrastructure quality. For travelers, drinking tap water in Japan is usually fine, but in China, it's recommended to opt for boiled or bottled water unless you know the water is safe.

Would like to hear exactly how these “forever chemicals” are getting into Japan’s drinking water, particularly in places like Hokkaido.

They were at least a common chemical found in firefighting foam. Every car crash / fire, every airport fire, every industrial fire that was doused with foam is a possible source of PFAS in drinking water. Airport firefighters practice foaming a burning wreck sometimes as often as once a month for training. This has been happening for decades.

My experience in China is that everyone drinks bottled water. Boiling might kill bacteria but does nothing to remove the industrial chemicals, fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides in the water.

Great comments all, makes absolute sense most people are very concerned about water quality and take protective measures as a result.

These is ZERO reason to trust a country with a badly aging infrastructure and the largest ongoing nuclear reactor meltdown in history.

Avoid the risk, avoid the regret and avoid the negative health consequences of RISKY tap water!

I have drunk the tap water for 30 years and will continue to do so. I also drink Tansan mineral water. Some bottles water is just tap water.

Drinking tap water as a habit does not equate to safety, but everyone is free to do so. Certainly, those without family are far more likely to take risks, a sociological fact.

That's why most elderly smokers are single, good habit?!

I have drunk tap water for more than 70 years. I'm just fine.

Fine at any age means no existing chronic disease, no history of cancer, great blood work, great mobility, etc.

Very few are 'fine' in reality, just cheap talk.

We are all what we eat and drink, so CHOOSE wisely!

PFAS is present in home-filtered water and bottled water.

PFAS could in theory exist in any water, question is really one of concentration levels and frequency.

Many bottled waters not sourced in Japan, including US, European and South Korean especially. Amazon another great option for those serious about protecting their families, especially children who are the most at risk.

Most reliable sources of bottled water do test for PFAS, go to their websites to find out more!

It's interesting about the bottled water myth. Where do they get the bottled water from? I know a mineral spring water supplier in Australia that had sourced it's water from close to an old cattle dip.

Hard to check unless you have your own GCMS

The serious bottled water companies sell their transparency about testing and quality as their core brand, check out their websites. BIG business after all!

Local water utilities have no 'skin in the game', strictly minimizing their infrastructure costs = RISKY WATER!!

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, 2.2 billion people globally lack access to safe drinking water: 

I am happy to live in a country that provides safe drinking water.

Does Japan import bottled water? Mostly mineral and carbonated water. In 2022, Japan imported around 15.7 billion Japanese yen worth of mineral water and carbonated water, with France being the largest supplier. The share of imports in the market has decreased in recent years.

"About 45% of the total comes from reservoirs regulated by dams, while 27% comes directly from rivers, 1% from lakes, and 4% from river beds, totaling 77% from surface water. 23% of domestic water supply comes from groundwater, which is over-exploited in parts of the country."

Giant and rapidly growing bottled water business exists for ONE primary reason, consumers don't trust, nor should they, their local water utilities and water supply for drinking water. People vote with their CASH, nuff said!

Is there ANYTHING Govt. ANYWHERE does well?!

There's your answer regarding water safety and water utilities globally. The private sector is the SOLE domain of quality and innovation, including water.

I suppose the people who think it's unsafe to drink tap water also do not use it for cooking. That's a lot of water to buy and bring home.

Bottled water is sold in PET plastic bottles. Millions of them. An estimated 1.3 billion plastic bottles are used each day across the world, which is about 1 million per minute.

Some people use the filtered water at stores to fill their bottles. I wonder about the hygiene of those machines. They were off limits during the Covid.

OssanUltra: "You really should be worrying about water quality in your own country first."

Yeah, I guess we have no right (unless weebs!) to even PONDER what might be in the water in the country we live... well, unless it's strictly blind praise.

Billions of PET bottles end up in rivers and the oceans and are part of the cause of microplastics getting into our food chains. People should think about using home-filtered units rather than buying bottled water. Or refilling their bottles at the store which is a free service.

'Eco' goes without saying/pet bottles, but core issue remains human health & safety. Private sector water business interests align with safety NOT Govt. water utilities.

'Monopoly' Govt. water utilities could care less about water quality and safety with their aging infrastructure, strictly maximizing their 'general fund' cash-flow.

Many of the water companies in the US are private and too many supply water unfit for human consumption.

The EPA has found that at least one PFAS chemical was in the water of 17 million people from 2013 to 2016. A 2020 study estimated that the chemicals were likely present in the water of more than 200 million people

PFAS levels exceeded 50 nanograms came to 11 in fiscal 2020, five in fiscal 2021, four in fiscal 2022, and three in fiscal 2023

Don't panic, that is a clear downward trend, considering all samples in the current year are even below 50ng.

Recent Japanese government including Health ministry or Environmental ministry still prioritize corporations' profit or circumstances of military base than health and the lives of citizen, domestic regulation about PFAS that such they made is 60 times looser than EU standard.

I never buy imported water.

Don't play Russian roulette with water quality and health safety, your public water utility Cannot EVER be Trusted, Except for toilets, bath tubes, showers, plants, fish pets and keeping the house, cars etc. clean.

Essentially zero successful people are willing to regularly drink tap water, they just are telling anyone, hence this message.