Kubota Corp., a major machinery maker, has established its own relief system for sufferers of asbestos-linked diseases who were not employees. This system, which offers "relief money" ranging from 25 million yen to 46 million yen each, covers residents around the company's asbestos-contaminated factory in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture. Kubota's quick decision deserves praise. It wasn't known until June 2005 that not only employees but also local residents had suffered health damage. Kubota is perhaps the first company to offer monetary relief for nonemployees suffering from asbestos-linked diseases.

The relief system will spare residents having to seek compensation by lawsuit, a process that usually takes many years and increases financial and psychological burdens on them. By setting up the system, Kubota can avoid creating a bad image for itself as a result of a long litigation process. As of the end of March, 88 people were thought to be eligible for the relief money. Kubota estimates that payments will total 3.217 billion yen.

In working out the scheme, the company refrained from making a unilateral decision. It held four rounds of talks with representatives of the affected residents since early March. Under the scheme, people, both living and dead, who lived within a 1-km radius of the now-closed factory or who worked or studied at schools in the area for one year or longer from 1954 to 1995 are eligible for the money. The factory handled asbestos during that period. People who have handled asbestos as part of their job are not eligible.