For groundwater, the result of a survey conducted in 2000 shows that 8.1% of the wells that were examined exceeded the environmental standards. Regarding nitrate nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen, 6.1% of the wells exceeded the environmental standard. Under these circumstances, the countermeasures are regarded as urgent issues.

## (2) Marine pollution

The number of confirmed marine pollutants in the Japanese sea areas in 2001 was 486, which is a reduction of 124 in comparison to that of 2000.

## (3) Soil contamination

Soil contamination occurs due to direct infection such as leakage of raw materials due to inappropriate treatment or due to the secondary load generated through water pollution or air pollution caused by business activities. Once soil is contaminated, hazardous substances are deposited, causing a long-term contamination. Recently, soil contamination are being detected increasingly as a result of redevelopment of factory sites and research organization sites. In 2000, 134 soil contamination instances were detected. Therefore, to promote soil environment conservation measures in urban areas and so on, the Government submitted a bill for soil contamination countermeasures in February 2002.

## (4) Ground Subsidence

Ground subsidence occurs due to contraction of a clay layer that is caused by a drop of the groundwater level that is caused by excessive extraction of groundwater. Once the ground has subsided, it will not be recovered to the original condition, causing damage to buildings and increase of submersion probability at flooding. By 2000, ground subsidence was noticed in 37 Prefectures and 61 regions.

Transition of number of confirmed marine pollutions by sea area

Sea Area
Year	Type	Hokkaido coastal area	Honshu East Coast	Honshu Bay	Isa Bay	Osaka Bay	Seto Inland Sea excluding Osaka Bay	Honshu South Coast	Honshu South Area	Kyushu coastal area	Japan Sea coastal area	South-West sea area
1997	Oil	28	34	61	6	16	86	38	57	53	26	405
Other than oil	Hazardous substance	0	9	1	0	1	3	75	1	0	0	90
Waste	5	44	0	7	5	23	29	14	8	9	144
Others	5	1	10	0	2	1	0	0	1	0	20
Subtotal	10	54	11	7	8	27	104	15	9	9	254
Red Tide	1	6	6	16	9	3	11	0	2	0	54
Total	39	94	78	29	33	116	153	72	64	35	713
1998	Oil	32	24	73	12	16	67	52	47	33	32	388
Other than oil	Hazardous substance	0	7	1	0	1	2	33	0	0	2	46
Waste	8	6	2	13	37	60	33	39	13	0	211
Others	2	0	9	1	1	11	1	1	0	0	26
Subtotal	10	13	12	14	39	73	67	40	13	2	283
Red Tide	0	1	2	6	1	8	5	0	3	0	26
Total	42	38	87	32	56	148	124	87	49	34	697
1999	Oil	18	33	64	11	14	47	31	37	35	49	339
Other than oil	Hazardous substance	0	2	2	0	0	1	13	2	0	0	20
Waste	13	3	4	20	9	49	40	18	21	4	181
Others	1	3	6	0	5	5	1	0	2	0	23
Subtotal	14	8	12	20	14	55	54	20	23	4	224
Red Tide	0	2	10	3	3	2	2	0	4	0	26
Total	32	43	86	34	31	104	87	57	62	53	589
2000	Oil	13	23	78	17	16	44	45	31	13	27	307
Other than oil	Hazardous substance	0	1	0	1	1	1	25	0	1	0	30
Waste	10	9	2	45	3	43	10	39	64	1	226
Others	1	1	4	0	1	3	5	1	0	0	16
Subtotal	11	11	6	46	5	47	40	40	65	1	272
Red Tide	0	0	15	5	1	1	6	2	1	0	31
Total	24	34	99	68	22	92	91	73	79	28	610
2001	Oil	15	19	73	28	11	49	31	45	38	18	327
Other than oil	Hazardous substance	0	2	1	1	2	1	0	1	0	0	8
Waste	1	3	3	6	5	32	13	8	31	1	103
Others	1	1	8	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	11
Subtotal	2	6	12	7	7	33	14	9	31	1	122
Red Tide	0	0	16	4	0	3	4	6	4	0	37
Total	17	25	101	39	18	85	49	60	73	19	486

Notes: 1. "Hazardous substances" in the column "other than oil" refer to hazardous substances that are specified in the "Law Relating to Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disaster" and unexamined liquid substances.

2. "Others" in the column "other than oil" refer to factory waste water and Blue Tide.

Presentation: Japan Coast Guard

Outline of ground subsidence areas nationwide

Presentation: Ministry of the Environment "General Condition of Ground Subsidence Areas Nationwide in 2000"