Since the bursting of the economic bubble, the goal of land policy in Japan has shifted from land price control to the effective use of land. Attendant on the emphasis on the effective use of land, disused factory sites and similar land have attracted attention as suitable sites for urban development projects. Conversion of such land to condominiums, shopping, centers, and office buildings is increasing, and instances of soil contamination being discovered at the construction stage have increased in number. The high potential of some type of negative legacy from soil contamination at these sites has been recognized.