Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning the name corresponds to the name of the minamata bay in kumamoto prefecture where the disease was first identified. The disease is characterized by peripheral sensory loss, tremors, dysarthria, ataxia, and both hearing and visual loss. The first meeting of the conference of the parties to the minamata convention on mercury cop1 took place from 24 to 29 september 2017 at the international conference centre in geneva, switzerland. Pursuant to the requests made by the conferences of the parties to the basel, rotterdam and stockholm conventions, the latest being set out in their decisions on cooperation between the joint brs secretariat and the secretariat of the. Shop for vinyl, cds and more from minamata at the discogs marketplace. Methyl mercury discharged from the factory contaminated fish and shellfish, which in.
The number of victims and deaths produced has not yet been determined. During 19321968 local residents, especially fisher families, suffered the consequences. The highly toxic compound bioaccumulated in fish and shellfish in the bay which, when eaten by the people living around the bay, gave rise to minamata disease. Across the bay is amakusa island, which produced some coal. Study on eu implementation of the minamata convention on mercury. Pursuant to the requests made by the conferences of the parties to the basel, rotterdam and stockholm conventions, the latest being set out in their decisions on cooperation between the joint brs secretariat and the secretariat of the minamata convention bc1422. Minamata disease was discovered for the first time in the world at minamata city, kumamoto prefecture, japan, in 1956 minamata disease research group. While documenting the maiming effects of mercury poisoning from factory pollution on the residents of the fishing village of minamata 197173, he was brutally beaten. Akagi hosted the sixth such meeting in minamata in 2001, and he is here too, to present his work with the slovenians. Oct 10, 20 the minamata convention, a united nations pact launched thursday, is designed to limit mercury use and emissions internationally. Smith said, photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimesjust sometimesone photograph or a group of them can lure. It is named after the place where thousands of people were poisoned by.
Minamata convention on mercury and lighting pdf 254. Minamata definition of minamata by medical dictionary. Artisanal and smallscale gold mining asgm is the largest anthropogenic source of mercury globally. The minamata fisheries coop agrees to the total removal of the dividing nets in minamata bay at a special general meeting. Fumiko hiyoshi, who headed a citizens group and supported minamata disease sufferers for more than half a century, died wednesday due to old age at a nursing home in minamata, kumamoto prefecture. Minamata, minamata shi is a city located in kumamoto prefecture, japan. Lessons from minamata disease and mercury management in japan. Twentyfive years have come and gone since the disease was first discovered. Outlook\fim2wm85\draftfinalreporteuhgmc30june14rev3bmaster. Minamata convention on mercury cop1 global environment.
After world war ii, the production of acetaldehyde boomed. Study on eu implementation of the minamata convention on. Italy 1974 fred bongusto lovers and other relatives. Minamata by eugene and aileen smith is an extraordinary book in many ways. Yoshii, mayor of minamata states at the local assembly that minamata city will continue to appeal to the national and prefectural governments for further assistance, and city itself aims for creating a city where people value environment and human cooperation. Media in category minamata, kumamoto the following 79 files are in this category, out of 79 total. Minamata in kumamoto prefecture has long been known mainly for a deadly.
In may 1956, four patients from the city of minamata on the west coast. It is on the west coast of kyushu and faces amakusa islands. The shiranui sea that caused the first minamata disease i. The seveso disaster was an industrial accident that occurred around 12. The city of minamata grew along with the expansion of chisso. The minamata fisheries coop and chisso sign the document confirming the completion of the removal of the dividing nets.
Under the minamata convention on mercury, parties agreed to take steps to reduce, and where feasible eliminate, the use of mercury and mercury compounds from asgm. Minamata bay was heavily polluted in the 1950s and 1960s by wastewater, mixed with mercury dumped into hyakken harbour from the chisso corporations factory in minamata, particularly by methylmercury. The second meeting of the conference of the parties to the minamata convention on mercury cop2 is expected to convene from 1923 november 2018, in geneva, switzerland. It was preceded on 23 and 24 september 2017 by preparatory meetings, including regional and bureau meetings, while a series of regional meetings took place in.
The minamata disease was the most massive pollution problem to strike japan in the postsecond world war period. Minamata disease and the mercury pollution of the globe masazumi harada, m. Minamata byo, sometimes referred to as chisso minamata disease, chisso minamata byo, is a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning. Minamata, minamatashi is a city located in kumamoto prefecture, japan.
The kumamoto district court ordered the state, the kumamoto prefectural government and chisso corp. Otherwise, minamata was no different from other villages found throughout the country. Other sources of maternal exposure to methyl mercury have included flour made from seed grain treated with methyl mercury which affected at least 6,500 people in iraq and meat from animals raised on. Pursuant to article 30 5 of the minamata convention on mercury, the argentinian republic declares that any amendment to an annex to the convention shall enter into force with respect of argentina only upon the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession with respect thereto. A fishing port, minamata was also the home of nippon chisso hiryo co. The bay is part of the larger shiranui sea which is sandwiched between the coast of the kyushu mainland and the offlying islands of kumamoto and nagasaki prefectures. Minamata, city, kumamoto ken prefecture, southeastern kyushu, japan. The total picture in relation to the epidemiology of the problem has yet to unfold.
Italy 14 september 1972 pesaro film festival sweden 23 february 1973 tv premiere usa 19 september 1974. In july 1959, the minamata disease study team of the faculty of medicine, university of kumamoto reported that it had reached the conclusion that the substance causing minamata disease was a mercury component, most likely an organomercury compound. Second meeting of the conference of the parties to. People with minamata disease have been fulfilling this role in official and unofficial capacities at international conferences for 45 years. The minamata convention on mercury is the first new global convention on environment and health adopted for close to a decade. During 19321968 local residents, especially fisher families have been suffering from a variety of symptoms. It is served by the third sector hisatsu orange railway that follows the former coastal route of the jr kyushu kagoshima main line connecting yatsushiro and sendai. A disorder caused by methyl mercury poisoning that was first described in the inhabitants of minamata bay, japan and resulted from their eating fish contaminated with mercury industrial waste. As the gulf of mexico oil spill shows little sign of abating, time takes a look back at historys greatest environmental tragedies. The name comes from minamata bay in kumamoto prefecture where the chisso factory released industrial waste. All this was well established by the beginning of the twentieth century.
After four years of negotiations, the minamata convention on mercury was adopted and opened for signature at a diplomatic conference conference of plenipotentiaries, held in. For years, residents of minamata, a town located on kyushu japans most southwesterly island, had. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. In searing photographs and words it chronicles the last few years of the fight by a group of japanese fishing families to stop the poisoning of themselves and their children with toxic mercury by the local chisso chemical plant in the city of minamata. Portugal 3 december 2007 nippon koma film festival greece 26 february 2008 ecocinema festival. By working collaboratively, we will create a platform to build synergies and leverage resources for the national implementation of the minamata convention as we proceed and progress on our green state trajectory, trotman said, noting that regulators were still on that pathway of making mercury history in guyana. Dec 11, 2018 minamata disease has not been confined to minamata where the source of the mercury was primarily from eating fish caught in the contaminated bay. Minamata was established as a village in 1889, redesignated as a town in 1912 and grew into a city in 1949. Study on eu implementation of the minamata convention interim report c. Minamata bay is a bay on the west coast of kyushu island, located in kumamoto prefecture, japan.
Minamata city in southern kumamoto prefecture gained worldwide fame in the 1950s and 1960s through a mercury poisoning disaster, caused by a local factorys discharge of poisonous wastewater into minamata bay thousands of local inhabitants fell victim to the poisoning, and the disease caused by mercury poisoning became globally known as the. Minamata disease, disease first identified in 1956 in minamata, japan. Minamata disease the history and measures summary summary. The city is welcoming school and study tours from across japan and the world for the study of environmental problems.
Rimiko has come to providence as a kataribe, a storyteller. Court rules in favor of three minamata sufferers japan author. The village of minamata, located on the west coast of southern kyushu, was traditionally supported by rice farming and by a cove in the port which allowed the production of salt. A company town of the nippon chisso hiryo company, its main products are chemical fertilizer, carbide, and vinyl chloride. It is now 50 years since the most horrific mercury poisoning disaster the world has ever seen took place in minamata, japan. Finalized after four years of negotiations and signed by delegates. It resulted in the highest known exposure to 2,3,7,8tetrachlorodibenzopdioxin tcdd in residential populations, which gave rise to numerous scientific studies and standardized.
The first meeting of the conference of the parties to the minamata convention on mercury cop1 took place from 24 to 29 september 2017 at the international conference centre in geneva. Minamata exhibition in tokyo is held at a special place of shinagawa station, tokyo. Minamata is a city in kumamoto on the island of kyushu, japan understand. Minamata disease the history and measures summary moe. Methyl mercury discharged from the factory contaminated fish and shellfish, which in turn. The government officially recognizes 2,265 victims 1,435 already dead of the industrial dumpings at southern japans minamata bay, where chemical maker chisso corp. Minamata disease is caused by methylmercury poisoning. The minamata fishing cooperative had managed to win small payments of sympathy money. Minamatabyo, sometimes referred to as chissominamata disease, chissominamatabyo, is a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning. It is also the setting for a historic confrontation.
Chisso corporation lawsuit re minamata disease business. Dancer aims to reinvent minamata, long known for disease caused by pollution, into a city of samba. The history and the present of minamata disease entering the second half a century jmaj 493. The minamata convention is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The convention is named after the city in kumamoto prefecture where industrial. Signs and symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, loss of peripheral vision, and damage to hearing and speech. With powerful individual vision, magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities. Japan completed a procedure with the united nations last month to ratify the minamata convention on mercury. These materials were brought into minamata village and wood and mountain products were shipped from the port. Porn il domestico 1974 italian film classic movie 18. It is situated near the southern end of yatsushiro bay.
Best seller classic italian cookbook authentic classic italian recipes made easy. A documentary about the plight of the victims of minamata disease, which was caused by the ingestion of fish containing abnormal amounts of mercury released into the sea by a fertilizer factory owned by the chisso company. The minamata convention addresses mercury releases through its lifecycle. In recent decades, minamata has been building on its negative history in a positive way and established itself as an environmental model city, promoting a wide range of recycling and environmental programs. Minamata disease and the mercury pollution of the globe. Lessons from minamata disease and mercury management. Minamata disease, which is a typical example of the pollutionrelated health damage in japan, was first discovered in 1956, around minamata bay in kumamoto prefecture, and in 1965, in the agano river basin in niigata prefecture. Minamata station, minamataeki is a train station in minamata, kumamoto prefecture, japan.