Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office

Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office

The Japan Environment and Children's Study is a large-scale birth cohort study conducted by the Ministry of the Environment. The National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) serves as the Programme Office. The study, conducted in 15 regions throughout Japan, aims to investigate environmental influences during pregnancy and childhood on children's health and development. The Programme Office takes a leading role for the JECS, including accumulating data collected by Regional Centres; maintaining the database, or data management system (DMS); maintaining the repository of biological and environmental specimens; and performing exposure measurements including chemical analyses on the specimen. The Programme Office prepares standard operating procedures (SOPs); carries out administrative tasks; provides administrative and technical support for Regional Centres and is responsible for risk management and public communication.