Minamata disease was caused by eating fish and shellfish contaminated by chemicals in the
industrial waste discharged by Chisso, and it also caused people to be divided against each
other.
From this experience, the people of Minamata have learned the value of water and food,
which are essential to life. They also learned that household and industrial waste must not be
allowed to destroy the environment.
Mass production, mass consumption, and mass waste have made our lives more convenient
and prosperous, yet we are surrounded by toxic substances such as exhaust gases, pesticides,
and food preservatives that endanger our environment and our health. We cannot think about the
material prosperity of our lives without considering our relationships with the other countries of
the world. Minamata disease tells us that we are perpetrators as well as victims.
Minamata disease teaches us the importance of not destroying nature; of living with the
awareness that nature gives us life; of considering food safety and the interconnectedness of
people, rivers, and the sea; of reducing and recycling home and industrial waste; and of never
turning our eyes away from local problems.