In 2002 a total ban on asbestos was announced in Japan, following many years of sporadic and variably effective measures intended to control its use in that country. A major factor in instigating the ban was public awareness raised by the publicizing of the experience of asbestos-exposed workers in the U.S. naval base and shipyards at Yokosuka, an inordinate number of whom died of asbestos-related disease. Statistics of asbestos-related disease mortality in Japan are presented. Groups prominent in the effort to establish the ban and make it effective include the Japan Occupational Safety and Health Resource Center (JOSHRC) and the Ban Asbestos Network Japan (BANJAN). Activities of these groups are described.