Environmental Contamination and Human Rights — Case of Minamata Disease

Abstract

Minamata disease is methylmercury poisoning that occurred in humans who ingested fish and shellfish contaminated by methylmercury discharged in waste water from a chemical plant. A total of 2,255 persons have been diagnosed with the Minamata disease, as of January 1993, 1,096 have already died. In addition, about 10,000 per sons are suspected of Minamata disease. What is the reason for this disaster that is unprecedented and unparalleled in the history of mankind? World War II ended in August 1945 with Japan's defeat. Japan was faced with the urgent need to restore its devastated land and rebuild its economy. Under these conditions, priority was given to industrialization at all costs. The rights of individuals were slighted because the government subsidized industry, and collaborated with it. Productivity and efficiency were valued above anything else. Safety and post-treatment technologies were ignored. Japan rapidly achieved economic development, but experienced many inci dences of occupational hazards and environmental contamination. The most typical example is Minamata disease. People who suffer first from the damages of environmental contamina tion are always those who maintain close contact with nature, particularly children and the elderly. Minamata disease brought about tragic results because the patient's cen tral nervous system was primarily damaged. People became acutely aware of environmental contamination when they learned that the fetus of a contami nated mother may suffer more serious damages. This paper discusses the outline of Minamata disease and its etiologi cal changes.