In Okinawa, the prefecture announced that a mediation application from local citizen groups regarding the cancer-linked organic fluorine compounds known as PFAS, detected around the U.S. Kadena Air Base, was rejected by the Prefectural Pollution Examination Committee. The application sought blood tests and medical support for residents, citing high PFAS concentrations in the area. Unfortunately, the committee ruled that their grievances fell under water pollution laws, which do not cover disputes relating to military facilities.

The decision reflected a significant legal limitation because PFAS contamination attributed to the U.S. military bases is excluded from the pollution dispute resolution framework established by Japanese law. Despite acknowledging the presence of such contamination, the current legislation does not provide an avenue for the local communities to seek remediation or accountability from military operations. This has raised concerns among residents who feel that their health and safety are compromised without recourse.

Furthermore, the decision document criticized this situation as a 'defect' in the law and expressed solidarity with the residents' concerns regarding their health. It urged the government to take proactive measures to investigate the actual circumstances and regulate PFAS-related pollution more effectively. The rejection of the mediation application brings to light the ongoing tensions between local populations impacted by military presence and the limitations of national laws in addressing environmental health issues.