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OSAKA, JAPAN – JAN. 22: Court in Osaka, Japan, on January 22 ruled that the Japanese government was responsible for failing to prevent construction workers from being exposed to asbestos and causing them to develop lung diseases. A total 19 plaintiffs consisting of construction workers and the bereaved family members of those who developed lung cancer or mesothelioma from inhaling asbestos claimed total 6.9 billion yen in damages from the government and 41 companies that produced building materials containing the substance. The Osaka District Court ordered the government pay a total of 97.4 million yen to 12 of the plaintiffs. The ruling is the latest in a series regarding state responsibility for asbestos-caused illness in workers.