Mitsui Mining ordered to pay 1.6 billion yen in damages to lung disease
patients

The Fukuoka District Court on December 18 ordered mining companies,
including Mitsui Mining Co. , to pay about 1.6 billion yen in damages for
having neglected to prevent miners of the Mitsui-Miike coal mine from
contracting pneumoconiosis or black lung disease.

In the Miike Black Lung Disease Lawsuit, 257 patients and families of
deceased miners have sued the companies for damages.

Under the law, compensation claims are accepted until ten years after the
damage is caused. The district court said that in this case families of the
deceased are allowed to demand damages for ten years after the patients'
deaths.

In the evening of the day, plaintiffs of black lung disease lawsuits and
their supporters from throughout Japan held a meeting in Tokyo to share the
pleasure of receiving the favorable judgment.

About 100 participants agreed to make a request to the defendant
companies to apologize to all plaintiffs and take relief measures as early
as possible without resorting to delaying tactics. (end)