Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan
The four big pollution diseases of Japan (四大公害病, yondai kōgai-byō) were a group of man-made
The first occurred in 1912, and the other three occurred in the 1950s and 1960s.Despite the moniker of 'four' becoming the prominent way to refer to the events, Minamata disease and Niigata Minamata disease were the same pollution disease caused by the same poison, just in different locations and times.
Name of disease | Japanese prefecture affected | Cause | Source | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
Itai-itai disease | Toyama Prefecture | Cadmium salts | Mitsui Mining & Smelting Company | 1912 |
Minamata disease | Kumamoto Prefecture | Organomercury compounds |
Chisso Corporation |
1956 |
Niigata Minamata disease | Niigata Prefecture | Organomercury compounds |
Showa Denko | 1965 |
Yokkaichi asthma | Mie Prefecture | Sulfur dioxide | Various sources | 1961 |
Due to
Itai-itai disease
Itai-itai disease first occurred in 1912 within Toyama Prefecture. This disease was given the name "itai-itai" because this was the phrase affected people would frequently cry out; it translates into "it-hurts it-hurts disease".
Cause of itai-itai
The cause of itai-itai disease was determined to be cadmium poisoning in the drinking water from the Jinzū River basin. The source of cadmium was discovered to be from Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company.[3] Mitsui Mining began to discharge cadmium into the Jinzū River in 1910. The cadmium poisoned the river, thus poisoning locals' source of water. Any person who drank that water or ate food that was grown with the contaminated water, such as rice, would be likely to show signs of itai-itai disease.
Symptoms of itai-itai
The first symptoms were spine and leg pain. However, as the disease progresses symptoms include:[4]
- debilitating pain
- bone fracturesfrom mild traumas or activities (e.g., coughing or walking)
- skeletal deformities
- anemia
- kidney disorders
Aftermath of itai-itai
Most people with itai-itai disease were confined to bed because walking caused severe pain. Residents of the surrounding area that were harmed by this disease filed a lawsuit against Mitsui Mining & Smelting Company in 1968. Residents won this lawsuit and began to conduct negotiations. Mitsui Mining formally admitted that itai-itai disease was caused by their discharge of cadmium into the Jinzū River. Mitsui Mining was also obliged to pay recovery costs for the land. This meant that they had to ensure the poisoned land was returned to a safe and cultivable state.
Minamata disease
The first report of
Symptoms of Minamata disease
- numbing in the arms and legs
- impairment of balance
- fatigue
- ringing in the ears
- tunnel vision
- loss of hearing
- decrease in communication skills (slurred speech)
Most patients exhibited combinations of symptoms and did not show all symptoms.
Chisso Corporation
The cause of this contamination in Minamata bay was then traced back to
Aftermath of Minamata disease
In 1970, the Japanese Water Pollution Control Act, which states that all factories are required by law to regulate disposal of dangerous chemicals, was enacted. In 1977, the Japanese government took on the task of cleaning Minamata Bay by vacuuming out 1.5 million cubic metres of methylmercury-contaminated sludge from the bottom of the bay and using them to reclaim over 50 hectares of the bay along with non-contaminated soil on top. Then in 1997, after fourteen years and $359 million,[7] the Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture deemed Minamata Bay safe.[8]
Niigata Minamata disease
In 1965, a number of patients in
Symptoms of Niigata Minamata disease
As the name implies, Niigata Minamata disease is similar to Minamata disease; they both share the similar symptoms:
- numbness in the arms and legs
- impairment of balance
- fatigue
- ringing in the ears
- tunnel vision
- loss of hearing
- decrease in communication skills
Showa Denko
In the spring of 1966, the research team determined the most likely cause to the dumping of methylmercury from Showa Denko Corporation factory.[9] Showa Denko was located upstream on the Agano River and, just like the Chisso corporation, produced methylmercury as a by-product and then dumped it into the Agano river. Much like Chisso corporation, Showa Denko declined all charges that they were at fault for the Niigata Minamata outbreak.
Aftermath of Niigata Minamata disease
After much controversy, Showa Denko was found guilty of negligence and was then forced to pay compensation payments to all those affected by Niigata Minamata disease. In the year that Niigata Minamata was discovered, 26 people were designated disease patients, and five died as a result of the methylmercury poisoning.
Yokkaichi asthma
Yokkaichi is a city in the center of Japan in Mie Prefecture; known as the "town of petroleum" as it produces almost a quarter of the total petroleum in Japan.[10] Construction of the first oil refinery in this area first began in 1955[11] and after construction many respiratory diseases emerged within the city and among neighboring districts.
Cause of Yokkaichi asthma
In the middle of this city was the largest heavy oil-fired power station and refinery in Japan during this time period. Unfortunately, this refinery was not equipped with machines that could lower sulfur dioxide emissions before releasing them into the air. In the early 1960s, respiratory diseases began to emerge in the general population of Yokkaichi and even in some neighboring districts. This increase in respiratory problems was then specified as Yokkaichi asthma. This form of asthma was prevalent within Yokkaichi—5–10% of inhabitants aged 40 in Yokkaichi were reported to have chronic bronchitis, whereas less than 3% had the same disease in non-polluted areas.[12]
Yokkaichi asthma relief system
To offer support for many of the people affected by disease, a public release system for air pollution was established in 1965. This set forth that all people in the Yokkaichi area who met the following criteria were paid by the program:
- Specific diseases such as bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and their complications.
- In specific areas where the prevalence of that disease has increased.
- Three years of residence within the specified area.
Today, there are many laws regulating the amount of sulfur dioxide a factory can release into the air. These laws help keep the disaster of Yokkaichi Asthma from happening once again within Japan's borders.
See also
An-naka zinc refinery and cadmium pollution, Japan
References
- .
- S2CID 159882741.
- ^ "The Wound Left by the Sharp Knife of Industrial Pollution". Retrieved 10 November 2013.
- ^ Hamilton, Joshua W. "What is ouch ouch or Itai itai disease?". McGraw Hill Education. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
- ^ "10 Things to know about Minamata Disease". The Minamata Environmental Creation Development Project Steering Committee. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- ^ "Minamata Disease The History and Measures". Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- ^ Griesbauer, Laura. "The Minamata Bay Incident".
- ^ Pollack, Andrew (30 July 1997). "Japan Call Mercury-Poisoned Bay Safe Now". New York Times. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ^ "VII. Rediscovery of the Minamata disease in Niigata". Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- ^ "AIR POLLUTION IN YOKKAICHI AREA WITH SPECIAL REGARDS TO THE PROBLEM OF "YOKKAICHI -ASTHMA". Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ "AIR POLLUTION IN YOKKAICHI AREA WITH SPECIAL REGARDS TO THE PROBLEM OF "YOKKAICHI -ASTHMA"". Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Mie Prefectural University, Torii-cho, Tsu, Mie-Ken.
- PMID 18302742.