A methodology of estimation on air pollution and its health effects in large Japanese cities.

The correlation between air pollution and health effects in large Japanese cities presents a great challenge owing to the limited availability of data on the exposure to pollution, health effects and the uncertainty of mixed causes. A methodology for quantitative relationships (between the emission volume and air quality, and the air quality and health effects) is analysed with a statistical method in this article; the correlation of air pollution reduction policy in Japan from 1974 to 2007. This chapter discusses a step-by-step methodology of determining the direct correlation between emission volumes, air quality, and health effects. The relationship between total emissions (NOx, PM) (from both stationary and mobile sources) and air quality (NO2, TSP) was found to be significant. The correlation analysis of emission volume, and air quality suggests that NOx and PM levels worsen according to increases in NO2. When the correlation between the air pollutant and the type of health effect (certified, mortality, recovery, and newly registered) was examined according to the certified area, an inverse relationship was observed. The relationship between air quality (NO2) and health effect was found to be significant. When NO2 worsens, certified patients, mortality rates and newly certified patients increase, according to the data from 1989 to 2007 with dummy variable analysis.