Japanese companies could face a rising tide of asbestos-related lawsuits after a government report found asbestos-linked diseases had led to the deaths of at least 374 people in Japan.

The report, published last week by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and based on a survey of 89 companies, including 27 manufacturers of asbestos products, comes in response to growing concern among the Japanese public that asbestos is not only a work- related danger.