Miyako Island pesticide-linked contamination suspected amid surge in developmental disorders

By Barrier Free Japan

October 14 2025

MIYAKO ISLAND, Okinawa – Yahoo! News reported on October 13 that the number of children diagnosed with developmental disorders has risen sharply on Miyako Island in recent years, with pesticide-related groundwater contamination suspected as a possible cause. While the issue has become a major concern among local residents, it has received little to no coverage in national media. Similar cases of groundwater, river and tap water contamination have also been reported in other parts of Japan in recent years, suggesting the problem may be more widespread.

A city councilor has suggested that pesticides and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals that can enter rivers and groundwater and flow into the sea may be contributing factors. The councilor visited Miyako Island to examine the situation firsthand.

Officials and researchers from Nagano Prefecture, where the aerial spraying of neonicotinoid pesticides to combat pine wilt disease has stirred controversy, have also conducted inspection visits. The situation on Miyako Island is increasingly being seen as part of a broader national concern rather than a local one.