(1) What is BSL4  facility?

The novel coronavirus is now terrorizing the world and causing worldwide disasters. Among the facilities for researching such viruses and bacteria (collectively referred to as pathogens), the facility that can handle the most dangerous pathogens is called as the Level 4 BSL4 (Bio Safety Level 4) facility.

In short, the BSL4 facility can conduct experimental studies of pathogens ranked at the highest risk, such as the Ebola virus.

However, in such a facility, we have to assume risk of accidents such as infection of an experimenter during the experiment, pathogen leakage from the facility, and escape of the animals used for the experiment.

As a matter of fact, there are quite a few such BSL4 facilities accidents abroad, and there is still a suspicion that the novel coronavirus, which is currently terrorizing the world, may have leaked from Wuhan's BSL4 laboratory. As in Wuhan, a strict city lockdown was carried out, and the leakage of pathogens from the facility make a great irreparable adverse effect.

Given the above, we can see that it is essential that the BSL4 facility should be designed and operated so as to ensure that dangerous pathogens will not lead and infected animals will not escape.

Unfortunately, human error is unavoidable. We can also see, from this, the only acceptable condition is to install it in a place where even if the pathogen leaks or the animal escapes, the inhabitants around the facilities will not be put in an immediate danger. 

For this reason, the WHO (World Health Organization) manual stipulates the installation locations of BSL4 facilities. WHO requires that the exhaust from the facility be diffused away from the building where people live and that the facilities be located away from the area where people live.

(2) What kind of area will the BSL4 facility be built in? 

The medical school campus where the Nagasaki University plans to build the BSL4 facility is very small, and is only 50 meters away from the densely populated residential areas. It is also close to the places frequently visited by tourists, such as the Urakami Cathedral and the Peace Park. Moreover, trams and buses are running nearby.

The BSL4 facility is located in such an area where many people live and visit regularly. Therefore, when a researcher inadvertently let a pathogen out, residents as well as tourists will be in danger. 

Moreover, as described below, the BSL4 facility emits a large amount of exhaust air that may contain pathogen particles. It goes without saying that the exhaust air will stay within the campus, and the residential area around the campus will filled with the exhaust air.

(3) What are we worried about?

According to the materials of Nagasaki University, the amount of the exhaust air is 27,000 m3 / hr. Since this is discharged day and night continuously, the total amount of the exhaust air will become enormous.

Nagasaki University says, "The HEPA filter installed in the BSL4 facility has the ability to eliminate 99.97% of the particles. Moreover, since the air will pass filter twice, there is no need to worry."

However, depending on the condition, the number of pathogens can reach 100milion to 1 billion, so, 9 to 90 particles or greater will leak out in that case even though the contaminated air is filtered twice by the HEPA filters. We are afraid that a lethal virus leaked in such a way will settle forever in anything like bats in Nagasaki.

There are many other opportunities for the virus to leak out of the facility. For example, when bio-polluted animals escape. Also, if an experimenter suffers an infection accident in the laboratory, he /she may go out from the experiment section without reporting anything. The leakage is also possible when an experimental staff becomes infected without even noticing it. Since Ebola infections are often indistinguishable from the symptoms of a common cold in the early stage, an experimental researcher who is unaware of the infection may go to hospital in the city.

Thus, not only residents but also tourists visiting Nagasaki may come across a researcher who has carried Ebola.

Nagasaki University could only "try to prevent such things from happening" as a safety measure for such cases.

As a final example, we should point out a very serious problem. That is to study on genetic modification of the lethal viruses including Ebola virus. Since the original virus itself is at the highest class of danger, no  one knows how much the risk will increase through the operation of genetic modification. It can be said that the essence of the danger of genetic recombination experiments is that the danger is unknown. No one can prove that Level 4 of the current BSL4 facility is sufficient to address the unfathomable danger.

(4) What are the effects on lives of the residents?

When the BSL4 facility at Nagasaki University goes into operation, residents around the campus neighbors will have to live side by side with the above dangers. In addition, news reports in regards to suspicion of virus leakage will inevitably lead to discrimination against those people. They may become the target of bullying at school, by being said, "Don't come by, you have bacteria!" 

There is another thing that is very worrisome, the counterterrorism measure. Nagasaki University is optimistic about the drone attacks on buildings, but is very cautious about the secret stealing of pathogens. 

For this reason, Nagasaki University will be wary of suspicious persons, in addition to strict check of access to the campus. This raises concerns about being monitored not only within the facility but also in the residential areas nearby.

In this way, it will imposes a lot of material and mental burden on people living in the residential areas close to the BSL4 facility 

We would like you to understand that opposition to the BSL4 facility is not a selfish matter of the residents.

(5) How the opposition of the residents led to the litigation

Many people in the vicinity of the campus have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the residents' association questionnaire. On average, 60% to 70% disagree with the BSL4 facility and less than 10% agree, but Nagasaki University have ignored such opposition voices. 

In addition, every time an information session to the residents is held, angry words are heard from the residents, but even so, Nagasaki University will make a false media report stating that "the residents' understanding is definitely deepening". 

Nagasaki University has repeated very irresponsible explanations at briefing sessions to residents, such as that the virus dies quickly from ultraviolet rays and tap water, and the bats used for researches will not become hosts for the Ebola virus.

Thus, the residents, who are usually quiet, decided to make a voice and filed the litigation. 

(6) Use of Funds 

The funds will be used to pay for expert opinions and litigation fees.

(7) Message from the attorney team 

In this case, the cost for expert opinion is very high, but we cannot ignore the problems faced by the local residents of Nagasaki city. Therefore, we would like to have your support to continue the litigation.