FY2020 Summary of Harmful and Hazardous Incident Data received through PIO-NET

This summary reflects "harmful/hazardous incident data"¹ collected by PIO-NET² in FY2020.

Details of the information will be described in the "Annual Report on Consumer Affairs 2021", which will be released on NCAC's website in October 2021.

1. ¹ "Harmful/hazardous incident data" combines data on products, services, or facilities involved in an incident of harm, i.e. bodily injury and/or sickness or other disease, etc. ("harmful incident data") and cases in which there was the potential for harm, even though no actual harm was suffered ("hazardous incident data"). The data was registered through the end of May 2020. Moreover, the data excludes inquiries referred from local consumer affairs centers, etc. to NCAC.
2. ² PIO-NET is a database that collects information on inquiries concerning consumer affairs by linking NCAC with local consumer affairs centers and similar organizations across Japan via an online network.

Trends and characteristics in FY2020

• There were 14,979 incidents reported as "harmful/hazardous incident data", a 9.1% decrease compared to the previous year.
• For "harmful incident data" as which 12,887 incidents were reported, the top three products/services were "health food", "cosmetics", and "medical services". For "hazardous incident data" as which 2,092 incidents were reported, the top three products/services were "four-wheel automobiles", "prepared food", and "carpeting".
• Regarding "harmful incident data", there was a decrease of 1,204 incidents from the previous year, mainly affected by a decrease of 404 incidents in "health food" and a decrease of 228 incidents in "cosmetics".
• Regarding "hazardous incident data", there was a decrease of 288 incidents from the previous year, greatly affected by a decrease of 117 incidents in "four-wheeled automobiles".
• Among "hazardous incident data", there was an increase of 75 incidents in the third largest category "carpeting" compared to the precious year (2 incidents, ranked 153^rd in FY2019). In 2020, the mass media reported that some brands of diatomite mats contained asbestos, and there was an increase in consumers asking about health effects from using diatomite mats.
• COVID-19 related harmful incidents amounted to 450. COVID-19 related hazardous incidents amounted to 34. Of these, the top category was "other health supplies" including face masks in both harmful and hazardous incidents (129 harmful incidents and 12 hazardous incidents).