RERF CONTINUES VALUABLE RADIATION RESEARCH DESPITE BUDGET

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001031

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SUBJECT: RERF CONTINUES VALUABLE RADIATION RESEARCH DESPITE BUDGET
CUTS

TOKYO 00001031 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) Summary: The Radiation Effects Research Foundation's
Scientific Council meeting on March 5 and 6 in Hiroshima underscored
the importance of continuing research on long-term health effects on
atomic bomb survivors. Multi-year studies involving voluntary
participation of atomic bomb survivors and their children are
leading to new understanding of the long-term effects of radiation
exposure. Despite current budgetary pressures and aging facilities,
this longstanding U.S.-Japan collaborative research effort continues
to be of unique value to the global health community and our
bilateral relationship. End summary.

Background
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2. (U) The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) began in
1946 as the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC),established by
the Truman Administration to study the long-term health effects of
radiation among the atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Initially funded by the USG, official Japanese participation began
in 1948. In 1975, the ABCC was reorganized as the RERF, a
non-profit Japanese foundation that receives funding from Japan's
Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) and the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE). The U.S. National Academy of Sciences
serves as the project contractor for DOE. RERF maintains facilities
in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Meeting Highlights Long-Term Radiation Studies
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3. (SBU) On March 5-6, RERF leadership met in Hiroshima with
members of their Scientific Council, a group of leading U.S. and
Japanese medical researchers in several related fields, to review
research efforts and future plans. Among the reports presented were
updates on long-term clinical and genetic studies of atomic bomb
survivors and their children. These studies rely entirely on the
voluntary cooperation of atomic bomb survivors and their children
and are driven in large measure by concern for their health.


4. (SBU) The Adult Health Study (AHS) began in 1958 and tracks
cancer and non-cancer prevalence in a sample population of atomic
bomb survivors, including those who were in utero at the time of the
bombing. While 60% of atomic bomb survivors are no longer living,
RERF is expanding research on those who were less than 10 years old
at the time of the bombing. There is evidence that this younger
cohort is of highest risk for disease caused by exposure to
radiation. As this younger cohort enters their 70s and 80s in the
coming decades, RERF plans to continue gathering data with which to
test this hypothesis.


5. (SBU) RERF's F1 Clinical Study is intended to assess the
possible health effects among children of atomic bomb survivors.
Begun in 2000, it has included a series of mail surveys and clinical
studies to gather data and biological samples from nearly 12,000 men
and women who were born after spring 1946 and whose parents survived
the August 1945 atomic bombings. Contrary to previously-held
hypotheses, data analysis from this study so far suggests little
evidence for increased risk of cancer or non-cancer diseases for the
children of atomic bomb survivors, even for those whose parents
received relatively high doses of radiation. However, RERF
emphasized that these results should be interpreted carefully and
should not be considered as definitive. Given that the mean age of
participants is only 46, the group has yet to enter their years of
highest disease incidence. Moreover, a significant percentage was
found to have hypertension and/or hypercholesterolemia, as defined
by the study, which may indicate future risks of non-cancer disease.
RERF underscored the need to continue to track this population over
the next decades for a more complete analysis.


6. (U) For more details on RERF's research, please refer to the
RERF website at http://www.rerf.or.jp/index.html.

GOJ Budget Cuts Continue to Sting
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7. (SBU) Although research efforts were the focus of the meeting,
RERF leadership raised concerns that GOJ budget cuts and employment
rules are hindering their ability to upgrade their Hiroshima
facilities and attract qualified post-doctoral researchers and
retain senior department chiefs. GOJ budget cuts have prompted MHLW

TOKYO 00001031 002.2 OF 002


to mandate that RERF reduce their payroll by six employees per year
for the next four years. The MHLW representative's comments during
the meeting reinforced the feeling that the GOJ will remain hawkish
on the RERF budget. RERF employs roughly 260 persons, including 43
scientific professionals at its facilities in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. Of the RERF's FY2005 budget of 3.7 billion yen, or
approximately $32 million, MHLW contributed $18 million and DOE
contributed $14 million.

Senior Panel to Review Future Plans
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8. (SBU) To help chart RERF's course for the next 20 years, a
separate, independent Senior Review Panel, composed equally of U.S.
and Japanese scientists, is reviewing future research plans and
organizational issues and will make recommendations to the U.S. and
Japanese governments. These will include recommendations on
addressing RERF's outdated physical facilities in Hiroshima. The
Panel first met in December 2006, and plans to convene again on May
1-2. A final report on their recommendations will be submitted to
both governments by November 2007.


9. (SBU) At the March 5-6 meeting, RERF announced future research
plans that include determining lifetime cancer risks for the younger
cohort of atomic bomb survivors, those in utero at the time of the
bombings, and the children of survivors. RERF also plans to expand
research of radiation effects on the risk of non-cancer diseases,
such as cardiovascular diseases, on the above groups. The expanding
sample collection and statistical dataset will allow for more
powerful analyses. RERF also plans to strengthen their contribution
to international radiation risk assessment efforts.

Scientific Council Highlights RERF's Unique Value
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10. (SBU) There was broad agreement among the members of the
Scientific Council that RERF's research on atomic bomb survivors is
of unique value to the global scientific and medical community.
Most immediately, participants in RERF's clinical studies benefit
from increased health monitoring and information about future health
risks. Japan's broader public health community has also seen
benefits: RERF's AHS database is being adopted as the standard
cancer registry database in a growing number of Japan's prefectures.
Globally, RERF's continuing research can help governments and
medical science to better evaluate the long-term risks to workers
exposed to radiation at various doses, and can provide valuable
insights for responding to radiation disasters. RERF's growing
collection of thousands of biological samples is unique and can be
preserved to enhance future scientific research efforts.

Continued USG Support for RERF Pays Many Dividends
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11. (SBU) Comment: USG funding of RERF continues to support
high-level scientific exchange between the U.S. and Japan across the
disciplines of radiological biology, genetics, biostatistics, and
epidemiology. As a prominent U.S.-Japan institution that actively
engages thousands of Japanese affected by the atomic bombings, RERF
serves as a powerful example of bilateral cooperation and the
strength our ties since the end of the Second World War. End
Comment.


12. (U) USG/GOJ participants at the March 5-6 RERF Scientific
Council Meeting:

U.S. Embassy Tokyo Participants:
Bart Cobbs, Deputy EST Counselor
Thomas (Toby) Wolf, EST Officer
Koichi Uchida, DOE Energy Specialist

GOJ Participant:
Kojiro Nogami, Deputy Director, General Affairs Division, Health
Service Bureau, MHLW

SCHIEFFER