minamata

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More than 500 Minamata victims file lawsuit

On November 14, 504 Minamata disease sufferers joined a lawsuit filed in October by 50 plaintiffs in the Kumamoto District Court demanding that the state, Kumamoto Prefecture, and chemical maker Chisso Corp. compensate them for their suffering.

The plaintiffs are members of a group of Minamata disease victims living in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures. The amount of compensation the 554 plaintiffs are demanding is 4.79 billion yen.

In October 2004, the Supreme Court held the state and Kumamoto prefectural governments responsible for failing to prevent Minamata disease (organic mercury poisoning) from spreading as well as for the laxity of official standards for certifying Minamata disease patients.

Since this ruling, more then 3,200 Minamata patients have applied for official recognition. However, instead of revising the standards, the Environmental Ministry established a new insurance card system in October that provides patients medical fee without giving them official recognition as Minamata victims. Only 471 patients have applied for the new system by November 11.

Lawyer Sonoda Akihito said, "Minamata victims have refused to accept the new system. We expect to have more plaintiffs join the lawsuit."

Plaintiffs' representative Oishi Toshio said, "We will never forgive the government's arrogance," and expressed determination to make an effort to encourage all Minamata patients to join the lawsuit.

Minamata disease was caused by organic mercury in waste water discharged from a Chisso Corp. plant into Minamata Bay during the 1950s and 60s. It has killed hundreds of people, disabled thousands, and produced many birth defects in Kumamoto's Minamata City. -- Akahata, November 15, 2005