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Minamata Disease Minamata Disease Its History and Lessons Its History and Lessons Minamata Its History and Lessons Minamata Disease Minamata Disease Its History and Lessons Minamata City Chapter 3 Measures to Control Environmental Pollution １０ 1 Regulation of Factory Effluent １０ 2 Measures taken regarding Contamination of Fish and Shellfish １０ ・Instruction to Fishermen to Voluntarily Refrain from Catching and Consuming fish - The Self-Imposed Fishing Bans ・National Government establishes "Provisional Regulatory Standards for the Level of Mercury in Fish and Shellfish" ・Installation of Dividing Nets by Kumamoto Prefecture ・Prohibition of (Fishery) Operations while Pollution Prevention Project works underway ・Call for Recreational Anglers to Refrain from Fishing ・Buy-back of Fishing Hauls while Dividing Nets in Place History of Minamata ３ ・Removal of the Dividing Nets from the Nanatsuse Region ・"Minamata Bay Declared Safe" Chapter 1 Minamata Disease ４ -Removal of Minamata Bay Dividing Nets ・Minamata Disease ・Fisheries Compensation paid by Chisso ・Symptoms of Minamata Disease ・Administrative Aid to Support Fishing Industry ・Medical Treatment of Minamata Disease 3 Environmental Restoration Project １４ Chapter 2 The Outbreak and Origins ・Minamata Bay Pollution Prevention Project Marushima Port Pollution Prevention Project of Minamata Disease ５ ・ ・Marushima and Hyakken 1 Outbreak of Minamata Disease ５ Waterway Pollution Prevention Project ・Official Recognition 4 Degree of Pollution Over Time １７ 2 Investigation into the Cause of Minamata Disease ６ ・'Strange Disease' and Infectious Disease Theories ・Heavy Metal Poisoning Theory ・Organic Mercury Poisoning Theory ・Chisso Counterclaims ・Explosive and Amino Poisoning Theories ・Opinion of the Ministry of Health and ・Welfare Food Poisoning Special Committee ・Identification of Methyl Mercury Compound by the ・Kumamoto University Study Group 3 Confirmation of the Cause of Minamata Disease ７ ・The Government's Official Opinion 4 Overview of the Incidence of Minamata Disease ８ 5 The name 'Minamata Disease' ９ ・The 'Strange Disease' / Infectious Disease ・Initial Use of the Term 'Minamata Disease' Minamata Disease ・Judgement of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Its History and Lessons ・Movement to Change the Disease's Official Name Published in December.2007 Edited by Minamata Disease Municipal Museum 53 Myoujin,Minamata,Kumamoto 867-0055 Tel. 0966-62-2621 Fax.0966-62-2271 Published by Minamata City Planning Division Chapter 4 Compensation & Relief of Victims -Health Measures for Residents １８ 1 Aid during the Initial Outbreak １８ 2 Compensation based on the 'Mimaikin' Solatium Agreements １８ ・'Mimaikin' Solatium Agreements ・The Beginning of the Minamata Disease Patient's Certification System ・Certification of Minamata Disease Patients after the Solatium Agreements 3 Compensation & Aid under the Law - Government Assistance １９ ・The Beginnings of a Certification System based on the Law ・Current Status of Certification Process ・Improvement of the Certification Process ・Compensation under the Law 4 Compensation based on the Compensation Agreement with Chisso ２２ ・Compensation Demands of Patient Organizations ・The Mediation Group and the Mediated Settlement ・Newly Certified Patients and Mediation ・Conclusion of Compensation Agreements and the Tokyo Negotiation Team 5 Relief through the Administration of Justice - the Minamata Disease Lawsuits ２４ ・Lawsuit claiming Reparation of Damages for Minamata Disease (The First Minamata Disease Lawsuit) ・Lawsuit claiming reparation of damages for Minamata disease (The Second Minamata Disease Lawsuit) ・Minamata disease Lawsuits claiming reparation from the State (The Third Minamata Disease Lawsuit) ・Summary of Filling and Conclusion of Each Lawsuit ・The Kansai Minamata Disease Lawsuit 6 Continuation of Independent Negotiations to Demand Direct Compensation ２５ 7 Minamata Disease Certified Patients Health and Welfare Project ２６ 8 Minamata Disease Certification Applicant' Research and Treatment Project ２６ 9 Comprehensive Measures of MInamata Disease ２６ ・Medical Care Project ・Health Management Programs 10 Health Surveys ２７ 11 The Response of Minamata City ２８ ・Treatment as an Infectious Disease ・Isolation of Patients in infectious Disease Wards ・Application of Public Welfare Assistance ・Construction of a Special Minamata Disease Ward ・Opening of the Minamata Municipal Hospital Affiliated Yunoko Hospital (Rehabilitation Center) ・Opening of Meisuien (Special Accomodation Facility) ・Establishment of a Branch School for Congenital Patients ・Health Surveys ・Survey of Residual Mercury Levels in Hair and Umbilical Chord Samples Chapter 5 Expansion of Comprehensive ３０ Minamata Disease Research ・Establishment of the National Institute for Minamata Disease ・Establishment of the Minamata Disease Archives Chapter 6 Financial Support for Chisso Corporation ３１ ・Monetary Support financed by the Issue of Prefectural Bonds ・Injection of National Funding through the Radical Financial Aid Scheme Chapter 7 Measures for a Final & Complete Resolution of the Minamata Disease ３２ ・Presentation of the proposed Solution Scheme and Consensus amongst the Persons concerned ・Government Decision on the Solution Scheme ・Dispute Resolution by Out-of-Court Settlement ・Aid Recipients Chapter 8 Citizen's Movements - Citizen Responses ３５ ・The "Pamphlet Wars", and Formation of the Citizens' Network Council for the Emotional Support of Minamata ・Formation of the "Minamata Citizens' Movement ・Formation of the "Citizens' Group" Bibliography ４３ Chapter 9 Measures toward Minamata's Regeneration ３７ Reference ・Building a Model Environmental City (International Environmental City) ・Prime Minister's Announcement on the Solution ・The Minamata Environmental Creation Development Project of the Minamata disease Issue ４６ ・Construction of the "Moyainaoshi" Community Centers [December 15, 1995 Cabinet Decision] Chapter 10 Conveying and Passing ・Concerning Minamata Disease Countermeasures ４７ [December 15, 1995 Cabinet understanding] ４０ on the Lessons of Minamata Disease ・Concerning Minamata Disease Countermeasures ５２ ・The Lessons of Minamata disease [December 15, 1995 Cabinet decision] ・Minamata Disease Victims Memorial Service ・Support measures for Chisso Corporation from ・Establishment of the Minamata Prize for the Environment 2000 ・Opening of the Minamata Disease Municipal Museum ５３ [June 9, 1999 Minamata disease-related cabinet ・Minamata Memorial ・Projects relating to Minamata Disease in China ministers agreement] ・Hosting Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ・About ‘Support measures for Chisso Training Programs Corporation from 2000’ ５４ ・The Monument dedicated to Minamata Disease Victims [February 8, 2000 Cabinet understanding] ・50th Anniversary of the Official Confirmation of Minamata Disease Chronology of Minamata Disease & Related Events ５５ 3 HHHiiissstttooorrryyy ooofff MMMiiinnnaaammmaaatttaaa---CCCiiitttyyy Kyushu Kumamoto Pref. Kumamoto oration, was established in 1908. arming and fishing village. Nippon realization of a national government l economy, by September 2007, the tion and other infrastructure were laid ns in 1956, when the city boundaries the aspect of one of only a handful of ity in 1949, and took an important step iod, with the introduction of the cities, n the tidal flats, with only 2,325 homes rowth. he accelerated urban drift associated with gr Japan Located in southwest Kyushu,in the southernmost tip of Kumamoto Prefecture, Minamata cities City of adjoins Izumi the and Okuchi Surrounded in by Kagoshima mountains Prefecture. and sides, the city straddles the mouth rolling of the Minamata river hills on where it opens into the three sea. The climate is warm and the city covers an area of 162.88 square kilometers. Richly vegetated mountains occupy a large proportion of the clty's area, and hamlets river's are length. scattered Seventy along percent the of the resides in its urban city's areas, and most stores and population businesses are located there. The coastal regions facing the Shiranui Sea (Yatsushiro Sea) are littered with inlets and there are also many fishing ports. The stretches beautiful along Rias the coastline northern 268 coast. National Highway traverses Highway 3 the and the JR Kagoshima line run from North to city South. East-West, The while opening of possible National Kyushu to Shinkansen made access Kagoshima in it 32 Yatsushiro minutes. In addition, in Hisatsu Railroad Orange 14 runs minutes Prefecture and Sendai in Kagoshima Prefecture. between and Yatsushiro in Kumamoto down. Emerging from the devastation of war, Minamata became a c toward modernity. The population reached a peak of 50,461 perso were redrawn to encompass Kugino village. Minamata City took on modern, industrial cities in Kumamoto Prefecture. Exhausted by the outbreak of Minamata disease, the effect of t Minamata village came into being in 1889, during the Meiji per Minamata was designated a town in 1912, when a railroad connec high economic growth, and the subsequent decline of the regiona towns and villages system. Although the village produced salt o and a population of 12,040, Minamata was Nitrogen no more that Fertilizer a small Corporation, f the Thereafter, Minamata developed in parallel with the predecessor company's g of Chisso Corp population had also declined to 28,901 persons. Thanks to the implementation of redevelopment schemes and the financial support improvement scheme, in Chisso business industries including recycling companies, situation. electric appliance Corp. The made promotion manufacture, a plywood factory, is also progressing.
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