Minamata Disease

Minamata diseasesometimes referred to as Chisso-Minamata disease is aneurologicalsyndrome caused by strongmercury poisoning. Symptoms includeataxia,numbnessin the hands and feet, generalmuscle weakness, narrowing of thefield of visionand damage tohearingandspeech. In extreme cases,insanity,paralysis,coma, anddeathfollow inwardly weeks of the onset of symptoms. Acongenitalform of the disease can also affectfoetusesin the womb. Minamata disease was first discovered inMinamatacity inKumamoto prefecture,Japan, in 1956.It was caused by the release ofmethylmercuryin the industrialwastewaterfrom theChisso Corporations chemical factory, which continued from 1932 to 1968. This highlytoxicchemicalbioaccumulatedin shellfish and fish inMinamata verbalizeand theShiranui Sea, which when eaten by the local populace resulted in mercury poisoning. While cat, dog, pig, and human deaths continued over more than 30 years, the government and company did little to hold the pollution.As of March 2001, 2,265 victims had been officially recognised (1,784 of whom had died) and over 10,000 had received financial compensation from Chisso. By 2004, Chisso Corporation had paid $86 million in compensation, and in the resembling year was ordered to clean up its contamination. On March 29, 2010, a settlement was reached to compensate as-yet uncertified victims. A second outbreak of Minamata disease occurred inNiigata Prefecturein 1965. The original Minamata disease andNiigata Minamata diseaseare considered two of theFour Big Pollution Diseases of Japan