Kadena Air Base is located in the towns of Kadena and Chatan, as well as in the city of Okinawa, Japan. It is a U.S. Air Force military base that is often referred to as the Keystone of the Pacific. The military base is home to the 18th Wing, the 353rd Special Operations Group, reconnaissance units, 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, and numerous other associated units.
However, since the 1960s, heavy contamination with PFAS, a group of toxic chemicals, has been occurring at Kadena Air Base. The primary source of PFAS is the use of aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF, by military firefighters and trainees.
This military base is the largest and the most active U.S. Air Force Base in East Asia. There are over 20,000 U.S. service members, family members, and Japanese employees living or working on Kadena Air Base. The history of Kadena Air Base can be traced back to the Battle of Okinawa, which took place in 1945, and the original name of the military base was Yara Hikojo Airfield. Kadena Air Base is still operational at the moment.
Current or former members of the military who served on Kadena Air Base after the 1960s should keep a close eye on their health, as they were inevitably exposed to large amounts of PFAS from the use of AFFF on the site.
AFFF is a very effective fire suppressant employed to put out jet fuel and petroleum fires, but it contains high concentrations of PFAS, which are carcinogenic to humans. In the regrettable event that you are a veteran who came to struggle with a disease as a consequence of PFAS exposure, we strongly encourage you to contact us so that you can benefit from the compensation you deserve.
The most serious cause for concern is the presence of PFAS on Kadena Air Base, as exposure to these dangerous chemicals is bound to occur among members of the military who are currently serving there. As a consequence, several years or even decades later, they may develop terrible diseases such as cancer.
Once PFAS are released into the environment following the use of AFFF, they persist, as they are also known as “forever chemicals”. Similarly, if they reach the inside of the body via inhalation or ingestion, they remain there forever, being able to cause severe damage to various organs and tissues.
To make matters worse, in addition to PFAS, the government of Japan found 22 barrels that were buried on former base property containing dioxins and herbicides in June 2013. The tests conducted on the surrounding soil showed a level of dioxins 8.4 times higher than the permissible limit. Polychlorinated biphenylchemicals (PCBs) are also present on Kadena Air Base in the thousands of parts per million, which is much greater than the majority of other contamination sites in the world, according to a report from 1987.
Exposure to PFAS, especially if it is prolonged, may result in terrible, even life-threatening diseases. For this reason, if you served on Kadena Air Base, we advise you to pay close attention to your health and to seek medical attention if you notice unusual symptoms. Nevertheless, it is important to know that there are only certain diagnoses for which you can seek financial compensation, as there must be a definitive causal relation between your disease and exposure to PFAS. The following are the diseases for which you or a family member who was stationed with you can file a toxic exposure claim:
You should know that if you are the family member of a veteran who was stationed with them at Kadena Air Base and came to struggle with one of these diagnoses, you are also entitled to financial compensation. Regardless of the circumstances of your PFAS exposure on Kadena Air Base, we are ready to provide you with quality legal assistance.
Atraxia Law has over 35 years of experience in vetting cases for victims of toxic exposure. We encourage veterans and their family members who were injured by PFAS exposure on military bases to reach out to us, as they are eligible for compensation.
Our process is easy and simple, a 10-minute phone call. After we assess your situation and deem you eligible, a skilled PFAS attorney will file a toxic exposure claim on your behalf.
10 Minutes Over the Phone
*No fees unless compensation is obtained