Law to draw curtains on Minamata-disease issue enacted

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Law to draw curtains on Minamata-disease issue enacted

Minamata-disease victims watching the proceedings in the House of Councilors from the public gallery were infuriated to see the Liberal Democratic, Komei, and Democratic parties use their force of majority to approve a law to acquit Chisso Corp. of the responsibility for the pollution that caused the disaster without relieving the victims suffering from neurological disorders due to the pollution.

At the House of Councilors Plenary Session on July 8, the Japanese Communist and Social Democratic parties voted against the bill to draw the curtains on the Minamata disease issue.

The enacted law adds four types of symptoms applicable to relief measures, but does not relieve all victims without condition. It specifies neither the scope of damage nor accreditation criteria. In addition, it excludes those who are currently applying for the official recognition as Minamata-disease victims as well as those who are still pending court decisions to be put on the relief list.

Soon after the enactment of the law, the Minamata-disease patients' organizations held a protest rally in the House of Councilors.

Sato Hideo, head of the Minamata-disease victims' mutual aid society, said, "Those lawmakers are blatantly ignoring the lessons of Minamata disease, the first major disaster caused by pollution. The DPJ leader had no intention to meet with us, and helped to have the law passed without bothering to listen to us."

JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi, who was present at the rally, said, "The new law rules out relief measures for those who have filed lawsuits by regarding them as insurgents just as rulers did in the feudal era."

"We are sure we can win in this struggle which is based on reason and justice. We are meeting today to begin a new effort to relieve all victims," he said.

On the same day, three organizations of Minamata-disease patients, who are still fighting in a court in Kumamoto Prefecture, issued a statement expressing their determination to continue to seek a judicial settlement.

Also, 109 researchers and experts jointly issued a statement in protest against the law to acquit Chisso Corp.

- Akahata, July 9, 2009