Hundreds of people prayed for the victims of Minamata disease in a ceremony in southwestern Japan on Thursday, 69 years after the neurological disorder caused by polluted industrial wastewater was officially recognized.
Some 660 people, including patients, bereaved families, Environment Minister Keiichiro Asao and Keizo Yamada, president of Chisso Corp., which released the wastewater, attended the ceremony in Minamata, a city in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Minoru Sugimoto, a 58-year-old local resident whose grandparents and parents were recognized as patients, said in a speech that they did not hate people or look sad even when they were discriminated against after developing symptoms.
“The whole family must have overcome the suffering and sorrow together,” he said, voicing hope that his grandchildren will remember happy memories about the sea when they grow up.
“We once again apologize for not being able to prevent the spread of Minamata disease,” Asao said in the ceremony. “We should not repeat the disastrous pollution like Minamata disease again.”
At a meeting last year, an Environment Ministry official cut off the microphone to interrupt patients’ remarks, causing an uproar. The then-environment minister traveled to Minamata later again to apologize.
There were 2,284 certified patients of Minamata disease in Kumamoto Prefecture and neighboring Kagoshima Prefecture as of the end of March, while 1,271 others had applied for certification.
