Relief for Minamata victims

The Upper House is likely to enact a bill that will offer financial relief to more sufferers of Minamata disease. It is expected to cover about 20,000 of some 30,000 people, mainly in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures, who are seeking recognition as Minamata disease sufferers. But it has flaws.

Minamata disease is a neurological disorder caused by organic mercury that was released into the Sea of Shiranui a Chisso Corp. plant in Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture. In 1956, the existence of Minamata disease was recognized, and in 1968 it was officially recognized as a disease caused by man-made pollution. In 1965, a second outbreak of Minamata disease was confirmed along the Agano River in Niigata Prefecture. This time it was caused by organic mercury released by a Showa Denko K.K. plant. In total, nearly 2,000 people have died from the disease, and babies have suffered birth defects.

The bill, a compromise between the ruling coalition and the Democratic Party of Japan, eases the standards to recognize a person as a Minamata disease sufferer and will recognize anyone showing one or more of the following symptoms: numbness in limbs; sensory impairment — systemic, of the tongue or around the mouth; and a narrowing of field of vision. The amount of compensation has not yet been decided.

This is the second political attempt to enlarge the scope of relief following that of 1995, which newly recognized and compensated each of about 11,000 Minamata disease sufferers with ¥2.6 million. Under the bill, Chisso Corp. will be divided into two entities, with Chisso's holding company financially compensating the victims and its subsidiary taking over business operations. The holding company will be dissolved after compensation payments are completed.

But the dissolution blurs Chisso's responsibility for causing the disease and new victims could be still be identified after the dissolution. The government should carry out an extensive survey of all those suspected of suffering from Minamata disease to understand the true scope of the disease. No victims should be left without financial relief and health assistance.