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Bioelectromagnetism

Research was conducted in Japan around the 1960s concerning the biological efect of electrostatic

induction by a 500 kV transmission line. It was shown that perception of electrostatic induction could

be prevented by application of technical standard limits. Te intensity of the electric felds near road

surfaces should be below 3 kV/m (Takagi and Muto, 1971). In Japan, the health and biological efects

of power frequency electromagnetic felds are taken charge by the Ministry of International Trade and

Industry (MITI, now METI). MITI set a technical standard for electric felds of 3 kV/m in 1976 to pre­

vent the electrostatic induction. Since then, MITI organized the Electric Field Efect research group and

the Electromagnetic Field Efect research group in the 1980s and 1990s, respectively. Te former group

concluded that electric felds produced in residential environments have no harmful efects on humans.

Te latter surveyed the scientifc papers and concluded that

It was said that at present, there is little need to regulate or standardize power frequency mag­

netic felds based on the efects on human health. However, it is important to scientifcally

investigate the efects of power frequency magnetic feld on human health in order to provide

accurate information.

Te METI has the responsibility for the electric power facilities. Afer long research and discussion,

METI decided the Japanese regulation to be 50/60 Hz for electric and magnetic felds. METI introduced

the limit of magnetic feld strength of 200 μT which is based on ICNIRP guidelines, in order to protect

the general public from acute health efects. Te Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry

(CRIEPI), funded by Japanese electric utility companies, has conducted the study concerning to bio­

logical efects of ELF-electromagnetic feld exposure. CRIEPI initiated research studies in the 1970s,

starting with the evaluation of the biological efects of electric felds. Te exposure experiments were

conducted to investigate the efects of AC and DC electric felds on the growth of trees and the harvest

of crops and its efects on reproduction, blood components, and cellular activities using experimental

animals such as mice and hamsters to clarify possible efects related to the planned Ultra High Voltage

transmission lines. In addition to animal experiments, measuring and calculating methods of AC and

DC electric felds have been developed. In the next steps, CRIEPI has conducted a study to investigate

whether ELF-magnetic feld efects on cellular function, reproduction, neuroendocrine system occur or

not using cells and experimental animals. During the overall exposure study, CRIEPI has constructed

animal care and animal exposure facilities and the in vitro exposure unit. In order to investigate the

in vivo biological efect of electric felds, CRIEPI developed the electric feld facility, which generated

the maximum 2.5 kV/m at 50 Hz. Te in vivo ELF-magnetic feld exposure system produces both rotat­

ing polarized and linearly polarized ELF-magnetic felds up to maximum of 0.5 mT at 50 Hz. For the

in vitro exposure, a facility producing up to 10 mT with rotating and linearly polarized ELF-magnetic

felds was constructed (Shigemitsu et al., 1993; Yamazaki et al., 2000). During these times, co-operative

activities between MITI of Japan, the Department of Energy (DOE) in USA, and CRIEPI investigated

and supported the biological efects of ELF-electromagnetic felds on operant and the social behavior

in baboons which was carried out by the South West Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, Texas

(Greenebaum, 1995).

Te evaluation of biological studies and human health efects of ELF-EMF and intermediate fre­

quency (IF) magnetic feld studies in Japan began in the 1980s. Yoshitaka Otaka has briefy reviewed

Japanese research eforts on ELF-EMF (partly including the study of RF (RF-EMF)) (Otaka, 2001).

Historically, from the end of the 1970s to the early 1980s, research on biological and engineering issues

had begun in several universities and research organizations across Japan (Amemiya, 1994; Kato, 2006;

Miyakoshi and Shigemitsu, 2014; Takebe et al., 2000; Taki 2016). Some research involved studies on

the biological efects of electric felds on animals and the distribution of the electric felds and induced

currents from a high voltage transmission line in humans. Models of the human body represented by

simple structures such as cylinders were used to estimate induced currents and surface electric felds

(Chiba et al., 1984; Shimizu et al., 1988 a, b). Te results of these studies explained the electric feld dis­

tribution inside and outside the human body exposed to a high voltage transmission line (Shigemitsu