Title: Acute exposure to sulfur dioxide and mortality: Historical data from Yokkaichi, Japan Running title: 5 Sulfur dioxide and mortality in Yokkaichi Authors: Takashi Yorifuji *Correspondence Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, 10 Okayama University, Okayama, 3-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan, e-mail:
[email protected] Saori Kashima Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and 15 Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan; E-mail:
[email protected] Made Ayu Hitapretiwi Suryadhi Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, 20 Okayama University, Okayama, Japan; E-mail:
[email protected] Kawuli Abudureyimu Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan; E-mail:
[email protected] 25 1 Funding sources: This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), Nos 2646074606 and 17K0908509, from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The sponsor was not involved in the study design; the collection, 5 analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of the report; or the decision to submit the paper for publication. Acknowledgments: We appreciate the valuable support from Ms. Saori Irie. She has no conflicts of interest to 10 disclose. Ethics: The analyses of national data (non-linked, anonymized data) are considered exempt from the need for ethical review according to the Ethical Guidelines for Epidemiological 15 Research in Japan. Ethical approvals were therefore not sought for this study.