OSAKA -- The Osaka High Court on Friday ordered the central and Kumamoto Prefectural governments and a chemical company to pay 320 million yen in damages to people recognized as suffering from Minamata disease and the families of victims who have died.
The court overturned a district court ruling that ordered Chisso Corp. to pay 276 million yen in damages to 42 of the claimants and cleared the governments of liabilities for not preventing the outbreak and spread of the mercury pollution that caused the disease.
In rejecting the 1994 Osaka District Court ruling, Judge Takaaki Okabe said the central and prefectural governments "violated the law by not implementing measures under the Water Quality Conservation Law and other regulations, therefore, they are required to compensate the victims."